Inklings 2020

FAMILY PHOTO: THE DARK LADY OF DNA Annabel Franklin I can see her clearly, the sameway she sees specimen samples onhermicroscope slides. The wider my eyes become, the more I can make out her distinct image. I see her hands interlock at the back of her dress while she stretches so far that the right shoulder bone nearly meets the left. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she rotates her head. Exhaling, she scans the room as if she were a doctor visually inspecting her tools in preparation for a major surgical procedure. Her delicate fingers grip the right side of the table for support. She clasps the thin glass slide in her left hand and adjusts it thirty degrees to the right to ensure the millimeter wide lens is exposed to the microscopic particles. I see her. At this moment, her body sits still as if time ceases to exist in her mind. The focus in her eyes allows her to detach from the world. Light gleams in the back of the room, pining for her attention, but her eyes remain fixed at the microscope. Each inanimate beaker and cylinder screams, use me , clean me , fix me , but her body stays anchored. Her loyalty is admirable, and she is unstoppable. I admire her. This photo of her doing her work uncovers the authentic struggles of her existence: she is a young, Jewish woman, dedicated to a career that was primarily reserved for men. Competing with the most prestigious scientists with unlimited resources and educational opportunities would be intimidating to most females, but not her. Becoming discouraged was not an option. I understand her. To me, her commitment has left her without a family of her own. To her, the strongest relationships go beyond bloodline and extend to a life that is science — the fewer distractions the better. I am not sure I could make such a sacrifice. I respect her. I adjust my own vision to further identify her. What is she looking for? What will she do once she finds it? And what if she never does? As I take a closer look, I can see her again. Biochemistry and x-ray crystallography are her fields of interest. Perhaps, her attraction to these subjects is encoded in her DNA. Rosalind Franklin is her name, and Photo 51 and its double helix structure will ensure it is always remembered. 7