In 1962, scientists James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering the double helix structure of DNA. However, it has long been believed that the trio never would've made this significant discovery if they hadn't stolen data from Rosalind Franklin, a British chemist who was the first person to determine that DNA had a helical structure, similar to a spiral staircase.
Now, a previously overlooked letter and never-published news article, both penned in 1953, confirm that Franklin played as big a role in the discovery of DNA structure as the other Nobel winners, though she died before the prize was awarded, making her ineligible.
