Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin was a British scientist best known for conducting research that contributed to the identification of deoxyribonucleic acid’s (DNA) structure. Franklin worked during the mid-1900s and also made important contributions to the study of viruses.

Rosalind Elsie Franklin was born on July 25, 1920, in London, England. She was one of five children. The Franklin family was wealthy and influential, and she received a quality education. Her parents, Ellis and Muriel Franklin, sent her to the St. Paul’s School for Girls. The school was known for preparing its students for careers instead of just marriage.

Franklin was gifted in math and science as a child. By the time she was a teenager, she decided to study science. Franklin went...