Double Helix Scientists
Essay by people • January 6, 2012 • Essay • 393 Words (2 Pages) • 1,686 Views
In the act of discovering the structure of DNA there where many scientists that had great contributions to the historic discovery. The scientists that had contributions to this discovery are Watson, Crick, Maurice Wilkens, Steven Bragg, Rosalind Franklin, Linus Pauling, OT Avery, Salvator Luria, and Max Perutz. At the time it was believed that hereditary info layed in the proteins. The first scientist that had a huge contribution to the discovery of DNA structure is Maurice Wilkins. Wilkins was experienced in X-ray diffraction /Crystallography. This saw small images and made 3-D images. The next Scientists are Rosalind Franklin and Steven Bragg. These Scientists were also studying X-ray diffraction and Crystallography. X-ray diffraction and Crystallography had a huge deal with the discovery to the structure of DNA but there was something else they need to finally but all the information they had into a structure that made sense. That brings up Linus Pauling and model Building. Linus Pauling was a model builder and built a structure that he called the a-helix. This brought the idea to the next two scientists Watson and Crick who are trying to figure out the structure and take what Linus has produced and does model Building and takes the information from the X-ray diffraction and Crystallography and begin to make their own structure. While this was happening the where a few other scientists that where working on the discovery using other methods. OT Avery was a Bacteriologist who was studying hereditary info being transferred between Bacteria. Salvator Luria was working on bacterial Phages and virus. Lastly was max Perutz who worked on large biological molecules. These last three scientists produced info to help to the discovery of the structure of DNA. Watson and Crick proceeded with the model building and soon came to a conclusion. They believe they have found the structure of DNA. The model is a double helix that is said to have a circle staircase shape. Then they found out that this is the structure they have discovered it. Although Watson who didn't want anything to do with Chemistry and this and Crick who was a Physicist who read a book and got into the topic of DNA and its structure, they have came up with the Structure and will be remembered for ever with one of the greatest discoveries in science of all time.
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