Helix and Shadow: Rosalind Franklin

The image of the double helix is the iconic emblem of modern biology, yet the name most crucial to its discovery remains largely uncredited. She was Rosalind Franklin, the brilliant, driven crystallographer whose definitive X-ray photograph, known as Photo 51, held the key to life itself. This comprehensive biography finally moves beyond the reductive caricature of "Rosy" to reveal the full story of a scientific pioneer whose career was tragically cut short by illness and shadowed by institutional sexism. We delve into Franklin's early mastery of carbon structure, her intense, rivalrous tenure at King's College where she produced the data that informed Watson and Crick's breakthrough, and her subsequent, triumphant work at Birkbeck, which laid the foundation for structural virology. Franklin was a scientist of unwavering integrity, prioritizing rigorous proof over speculation—a commitment that ultimately cost her the recognition she deserved. By examining her meticulous notebooks, personal correspondence, and the fierce defense of her legacy by figures like Aaron Klug, this book provides the definitive historical correction. Discover the full life of the woman whose quiet labor ensured one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the twentieth century. This is the story of genius, rivalry, injustice, and the enduring power of truth. Approx.155 pages, 31500 word count