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BBC Inside Science: 70th anniversary of the discovery of DNA’s structure

70th anniversary of the discovery of DNA’s structure

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, 70th anniversary of the discovery of DNA’s structure

Fresh insights into Rosalind Franklin’s role in the identification of DNA’s double-helix.

Gaia Vince delves into the story behind the discovery of DNA’s double-helix structure and reveals intriguing new evidence about Rosalind Franklin’s contributions.

James Watson and Francis Crick, who detailed the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953, are perhaps two of the most iconic scientists of the 20th Century. Yet the story of how they made their incredible discovery is perhaps equally famous, with a notorious narrative suggesting that they only identified the structure after taking the work of Rosalind Franklin and using it without her permission.  

Now, 70 years after the discovery of DNA’s structure, it is perhaps time to rewrite the tale.  

New evidence has now been unearthed, in the form of an overlooked news article and an unpublished letter, that shows that Franklin was truly an equal contributor to the discovery, and Watson and Crick were not as malicious as previously assumed. 

Together with Matthew Cobb of the University of Manchester, Nathaniel Comfort from Johns Hopkins University, and Angela Creager of Princeton University, Gaia Vince discusses this tantalising tale and finds out more about how this discovery could bring a whole new twist to the story of DNA.  

Presenter: Gaia Vince 
Producer: Harrison Lewis 
Assistant Producer: Jonathan Blackwell

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70th anniversary of the discovery of DNA’s structure

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