Science
When was the DNA double helix published?
1953 AD
The double-helix structure of DNA was published in 1953 AD.
1 BC · 1 AD
Context
What happened?
James Watson and Francis Crick published their structural model in Nature alongside papers presenting experimental evidence. Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray diffraction research, with work by Maurice Wilkins and others, was crucial to understanding DNA’s form.
Significance
Why it matters
The double helix explained how genetic information could be stored in a molecular structure and suggested a mechanism for copying it. The discovery became foundational to modern genetics while its history remains important for understanding credit and collaboration in science.
Further reading
Sources
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