Final answer:
James Watson and Francis Crick are credited with the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA in the 1950s, aided by Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction analysis. Friedrich Miescher had initially discovered nucleic acids in the 1860s.
Step-by-step explanation:
Discovery and Characterization of DNA
The credit for the discovery of DNA is often given to various scientists who contributed in different eras. In the 1860s, Friedrich Miescher was the pioneer in isolating phosphate-rich chemicals from white blood cells, substances that later became known as RNA and DNA. He termed these substances nuclein. It was later named nucleic acid by his student Richard Altmann.
However, it was in the 1950s that James Watson and Francis Crick were credited with describing the molecular structure of DNA, particularly the double helix model, at the University of Cambridge. Their discovery was significantly aided by the X-ray diffraction analysis conducted by Rosalind Franklin, whose work was crucial in elucidating the DNA double helix structure.
Nonetheless, other scientists such as Linus Pauling, Maurice Wilkins, and Maclyn McCarty also played important roles in advancing the understanding of DNA's structure and function.
Throughout history, the credit for scientific discoveries has often been given to those who make the final, pivotal discoveries. While Watson and Crick receive the majority of credit for the double helix structure, it is important to acknowledge that they built upon the foundational work of others, including Rosalind Franklin, whose contributions were not immediately recognized.
Subsequent advances, such as the decoding of the genetic code, involved many more scientists, including Marshall Nirenberg, Heinrich Matthaei, Har Gobind Khorana, Sydney Brenner, and many others, highlighting the collaborative nature of scientific progress.