Page 4 - Science Focus (issue 15)

taken away Franklin’s efforts without her knowledge
and permission [1-3]. Let’s figure out the real story of this
“mother of double helix”.
Born in an educated and socially conscious Jewish
family in 1920, Rosalind Elsie Franklin was determined
to be a scientist since she was 15. Her father strongly
discouraged her interest as this was an uncommon and
The knowledge
of the building block of genetics, DNA, and difficult career for women at that time. However, she
its helical structure is probably treated as something excelled in her academic studies, specifically in science,
accustomed and unexceptional and often taken for at St. Paul’s Girls’ School, one of the few institutions at the
granted by many students. However, have you ever time that taught physics and chemistry to girls. Later, she
thought about the efforts that have been spent by won a scholarship to study chemistry at the University of
all those scientists who dedicated their lives in the Cambridge in 1938, and received her Ph.D. in 1945. She
scientific research towards this molecule? James then moved to the State Chemical Laboratory in Paris
Watson and Francis Crick have been hailed the and studied the latest X-ray diffraction technology at
heroes that discovered the helical structure of DNA, that time. This technique was of paramount significance,
and have won the Nobel Prize for deciphering its which contributed towards the discovery of the DNA
molecular structure, together with Maurice Wilkins. structure with the well-known X-ray image of DNA, Photo
This is also the reason why the helical structure is almost 51. It took Franklin hours and tons of hard work to obtain
synonymous with Watson and Crick, while neglecting the this image and the calculations in analyzing it [1].
important effort from numerous scientists before them.

There is a hidden heroine of DNA double helix
model who deserves more recognition and respect
from the public. Her name rarely appeared in high 有關遺傳學的重要組成部分 — 脫氧核糖核酸（DNA），以
school textbooks – Rosalind Franklin. Franklin had a short 及其雙螺旋結構的知識大概已經被很多學生視為理所當然和平平
yet legendary scientific research life. Her all-rounded 無奇的東西。但你有沒有想過這些科學知識其實是一眾科學家日
scientific background with strong physics and chemistry
knowledge and skills had helped her a lot in the process 以繼夜地致力於科學研究的辛勞成果？James Watson 和 Francis
１
of unravelling the secrets of the DNA structure. However, Crick 一直被譽為發現 DNA 雙螺旋結構的英雄，並與 Maurice
several sources suggested that Watson and Crick have Wilkins 一起因破譯 DNA 的分子結構而獲得了諾貝爾獎的殊榮，
這就是為什麼當人們提及雙螺旋結構就會自然聯想到 Watson 和
Crick 的原因。眾多先於他們，而又對 DNA 結構提供了重要科學證
據的科學家亦因而被遺忘。

DNA 雙 螺旋 模 型 的 發現有著一 位 重 要 的 無 名英 雄 —
Rosalind Franklin，她的名字很少在高中的課本上出現，但她絕對
值得獲取更廣泛的認同和尊重。Franklin 擁有一段短暫但傳奇的科
學研究生涯。她全面的科學背景、物理和化學方面的深入知識和技
能都幫助她其後解開了 DNA 結構的秘密。然而，種種跡象皆顯示
Watson 和 Crick 在沒有她的知情和許可的情況下，把她辛苦取得
的數據和研究成果奪去 [1-3]。讓我們一起弄清楚有關這位「雙螺
旋之母」的真實故事吧！

Rosalind Elsie Franklin 在 1920 年出生於一個受過良好教育
且具有社會意識的猶太家庭，她早於十五歲時已立志成為一名科學
家，但她遭到父親強烈勸阻，因為這對當時的女性來說是一個不尋
常和困難的職業。然而，她仍在聖保羅女子學校（St. Paul's Girls'

DNA 結構的無名英雄

The Hidden Figure of DNA Structure:

ROSALIND FRANKLIN

By Clara Tung 董卓衡