X-Ray Crystallography: 100 Years at the Intersection of Physics, Chemistry, and BiologyIt can be challenging for learners to understand the differences in x-ray diffraction and other diffraction imaging techniques using light rays. This article, part of Scientific American's "The Scicurious Brain" series, delves into the history of x-ray crystallography. It initiates with the pioneering work of Max von Laue and William Henry Bragg, progresses through the work of Franklin, Crick, and Watson, and concludes with recent research in novel structures using Stanford's x-ray free electron laser. Editor's Note: excellent explanation of Franklin's work using DNA "fibers", which are not crystals, but form a repeating array of nucleic acids (and so diffract x-rays).
National Library of Medicine: The Rosalind Franklin PapersThis is one of the "Profiles in Science" collections in the digital library sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. You'll find a full biography of Rosalind Franklin, detailed information about all her research projects, and an in-depth account of her work at King's College-London with teammate Maurice Wilkins to solve the "Riddle of DNA". The collection is presented in a journalistic, factual manner without attempts to editorialize about the controversy surrounding Franklin/Watson/Crick.