THE RECORD
What changed
Watson and Crick used X-ray data from Franklin and Wilkins and chemical evidence to propose DNA's structure.
EVIDENCE
What remains
Three 1953 Nature papers, Photograph 51, notebooks and models document the work.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
It became central to molecular biology, genomics and biotechnology.
OPEN QUESTION
Where interpretation begins
The blueprint metaphor oversimplifies development and environment; Franklin's contribution and data ethics matter.