Google doodle remembers Rosalind Elsie Franklin (25 July 1920 - 16 April 1958), the pioneer in finding out the structure of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), today. She was a major contributor to the research that finally revealed the double helical structure of DNA. She was a British biophysicist and X-ray crystallographer. She passed away due to Ovarian cancer at the age of 37.
Even while undergoing treatment for Cancer she and her team came out with valuable scientific papers, the results of their research activities.
We were taught at school years ago that Watson and Crick discovered the 'double helical structure of DNA' that resembles a twisted ladder. Only now, I came to know that Rosalind, a brilliant scientist had actually 'cracked the code' before Watson and Crick. Had she been given due credit of her X-ray diffraction picture of DNA, her name also would have been included in the names of people who made this groundbreaking discovery and received the Nobel prize. It was male dominated Society during the 1950s and she was not given any credit to her contribution.
Google's doodle today and the subsequent search I made before posting this deeply disturbed me. We often hear such stories in scientific circles. Some steal the entire glory taking full credit of success. They never acknowledge the contribution by so many unknown souls. More often, great discoveries were made by the combined efforts and co-operation of many people. Some might have solved the puzzle by delivering the final blow at the head of the nail but fail to acknowledge the contributions made by others.
People often say I am a self-made person. I wonder if there is any meaning in this!
However, posthumously she has been awarded many honors. Please read more about her and then you will know how great she was!
A big thank you to Google for this kind gesture!
More about her :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_Franklin
http://www.dnaftb.org/19/bio-3.html
http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/KR/p-nid/183
http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu A University dedicated to the magnificent legacy of this brilliant scientist!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bofran.html
http://www.sdsc.edu/ScienceWomen/franklin.html
- One day the truth will come out. It might take a million years but one beautiful day truth will be revealed to everyone along with concrete evidence.
