For the first time in history scientists have taken a photo that shows the double helix shape of DNA clearly. Using an electron microscope, Enzo di Fabrizio from the University of Genoa, Italy, did what was once thought to be impossible.
The structure of DNA was first hypothesized (and later understood to be spot on) by Francis Crick, who received a Nobel Prize for discovering the structure. Interestingly, after remaining unable to piece together the details of the structure for some time, Crick was reportedly able to comprehend it fully while under the effects of LSD.
After Crick and his colleagues made the discovery, the double helix structure was further validated using x-ray crystallography. Even that was still just convincing speculation. Despite learning that DNA is a double helix in school, no one had any actual visual evidence for this claim and it remained a theory backed by some pretty solid mathematics.
Well, solid mathematics is now backed by solid photography. Case closed.
Take a good, long look at that picture – that’s what you look like under an electron microscope.