Machismo has caused numerous problems in the world of science. One of the most relevant women in the world of biophysics and crystallography was Rosalind FranklinShe is the true discoverer of DNA. The problem is that at the beginning of the 20th century, women who dedicated themselves to the study of science were ignored and scorned by institutions. Therefore, we're going to dedicate this article to telling you everything you need to know about Rosalind Franklin and her importance in the world of science.
Rosalind Franklin biography
At the beginning of the 20th century, any female scientist dedicated to research was completely ignored. It reached a point where they were despised. Institutions and society as a whole had condemned Rosalind Franklin to unjust anonymity. Among this woman scientist's most notable achievements, we highlight the discovery of the first photograph of the B-side of hydrated DNA. Three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of the structure of DNA. What most people don't know is that Ten years earlier Rosalind Franklin had already discovered the other photo.
This photo is known as photo 51 and is a key piece to know everything about DNA. This woman was born in the district of Kensington, located in London, in the year 1920. Her father took care to give all his children the best possible education and this made Rosalind able to charge her primary and secondary studies in private schools. Since the little girl she proved to be a fairly intelligent girl and had an exceptional passion for the interest of science.
Among Rosalind Franklin's studies, we find her presence in numerous Einstein conferences and she had the purpose to dedicate his life to the service of scienceShe began studying at the university and became interested in chemistry, physics, and mathematics. At first, Rosalind's father, seeing her desire to study science, was openly opposed to it. At the time, women were not allowed to pursue research. Rosalind himself had studied science and learned German so he could become a good scientist. Despite this, he couldn't believe his daughter had to dedicate herself to research.
Conflicts with the family
This conflict caused by social conventions caused her to have greater difficulties in being able to study what she wanted. Her father and she considered that education was a very important primary value for the personal growth of people and the advancement of society. Despite the conflicts with the family, Rosalind Franklin was quite intelligent and determined. All this added to the fact that his parents were progressive in nature he was able to study what he wanted.
She was finally able to enroll at Cambridge Girls' College in 1938. She took the entrance exams for physics and chemistry and was able to study these subjects. Rosalind Franklin's first contact with crystallography came as a result of the Braggs' discoveries. It was demonstrated that when a beam of X-rays passes through a crystal, it leaves a kind of identity fingerprint. If you study these fingerprints, you can see the structure of the crystal molecule and how its atoms are arranged. One of the breakthroughs she was able to make in the world of crystallography was to use X-rays to discover the structures of crystals. From there, he decided to familiarize himself with the three-dimensional study of matter that was extremely small in size.
Rosalind Franklin Higher Education
Although she graduated in 1941, she was unable to obtain her degree because she was a woman. She was quite intelligent, and as compensation, for her excellent grades, she received second-class honors. These honors recognized her as suitable for employment. She was able to obtain a small one-year scholarship to continue studying in the Department of Industrial Scientific Research and obtain a doctorate. This scholarship was awarded to a student who was a refugee from World War II. This is because His father asked him to give this money to someone who deserved it.
The generosity was due to the fact that in 1939, the Franklin family had nearly been trapped in Norway, as World War II had broken out on their way home. Once placed in the Department of Industrial Scientific Research, she was very fortunate. She was able to work with physical chemist Ronald Norrish, a pioneer in photochemistry and a Nobel Prize winner. Aside from the fact that Rosalind Franklin enjoyed her job, she was quite happy. Could live independently in a rental apartment and there he could receive his friends and enjoy his free time. All this helped him to be more consistent in his work and to enjoy life.
He was able to accept a project on charcoal, which became a very important fuel because it was used as a filter in gas chambers. He was able to research different types of charcoal and contributed to the development of a more effective gas mask.
Scientific success
In all those years, very few people were awarded doctorates. Rosalind Franklin was one of those who was able to obtain a doctorate despite being a woman. Her work on the structures of carbon and graphite helped earn her a doctorate in physics and chemistry. She also gave an insight into the job market that was open to her, and she decided to leave England. She was able to travel to France and find a great job. Thanks to Adrienne Weill, a disciple of Marie Curie, He was able to speak French and learn about different jobs.
As you can see, women have also contributed to the vast amount of information in science and helped advance it. I hope this information helps you learn more about Rosalind Franklin and her biography.