Rosalind Franklin was a British chemist and X-ray crystallographer, best known for her critical contributions to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite. Her work in the early 1950s provided key insights that helped reveal the double helix structure of DNA, which is essential for genetic information. Franklin's most famous photograph, known as Photo 51, was instrumental in identifying the helical structure of DNA. Despite her significant contributions, she did not receive the same recognition as her male counterparts, such as James Watson and Francis Crick, who won the Nobel Prize for their work on DNA.