By Rachel Spears – Political Editor

Rosiland Franklin

(1920-1958)

Born in 1920, Rosiland Franklin was a British chemist whose work was integral to the modern day understanding of DNA and its structure. After majoring in physical chemistry at Cambridge, Franklin worked in x-ray diffraction analysis, using technology to look at the fine structures of things. She used this technology to observe and discover the structures of coal, graphite, and viruses as well as DNA and RNA. During her lifetime her work went largely unrecognized earning her the nickname the “dark lady of DNA.” Despite never getting the recognition she was due, Franklin continued her passion for and career in science. “Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated. Science, for me, gives a partial explanation for life. In so far as it goes, it is based on fact, experience and experiment,” she said.