Rosalind Franklin — "There are two forms of DNA, crystalline and paracrystalline, and they give diffe…"
There are two forms of DNA, crystalline and paracrystalline, and they give different X-ray patterns.
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More from Rosalind Franklin
"The atmosphere at King's College is not always conducive to collaborative research."
"I do not like the idea of a woman going into science as a career."
"I find great joy in the process of scientific discovery."
"I don't think there's any room for guesswork in serious scientific research."
"It's like a helix, only more complicated."
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Understanding this quote
What it means
DNA isn't a single uniform substance but exists in two distinct structural states: a tightly ordered crystalline form when dehydrated, and a wetter, less rigid paracrystalline form. Each state diffracts X-rays differently, producing unique signature patterns on photographic film. Recognizing this distinction matters because mixing the two forms produces muddled images, while isolating each reveals clear geometric clues about how DNA is actually built at the atomic level.
Relevance to Rosalind Franklin
Franklin made this discovery firsthand at King's College London while photographing DNA fibers with X-ray diffraction. Her meticulous control of humidity allowed her to isolate the A-form (crystalline) from the B-form (paracrystalline), and her famous Photo 51 of the B-form revealed the helical geometry. Her precision, patience, and refusal to publish until certain reflect the rigorous experimental discipline that defined her career as a physical chemist.
The era
In the early 1950s, biology was being rewritten by physics. Postwar X-ray crystallography labs at Cambridge, King's, and Caltech raced to crack the molecular basis of heredity. Watson and Crick built models; Franklin gathered data. Women in science faced exclusion from senior common rooms and authorship credit, and Franklin's careful distinction between DNA forms—shared without her permission—became a cornerstone of the 1953 double-helix model she never received Nobel recognition for.
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