Whose discovery revealed the structure of DNA?

The double-helix structure of DNA was described in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick at Cambridge. Their breakthrough relied heavily on the experimental work of Rosalind Franklin, whose X-ray diffraction image known as “Photo 51” provided key evidence of the helical shape — evidence shared with Watson and Crick without her knowledge at the time. Maurice Wilkins, Franklin’s colleague, also contributed. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins shared the 1962 Nobel Prize; Franklin had died in 1958 and, under the rules, could not be awarded posthumously. Her essential role has since been widely recognized. The discovery launched the era of molecular biology and genetics.