Jessica Mills Davies
@byjessicadavies.bsky.social
Senior Correspondent - London (for the Energy Transition) at DC Thomson's Energy Voice. Author of Rosalind/The English Chemist (Opinions: all mine.) https://muckrack.com/jessica-mills-davies
As King's College London crystallography professor Brian Sutton explained when I interviewed him as part of my research; the key hallmark of photo 51 was how the fibre was off-centre. Photo 49, as important historically, was the x-ray that Watson didn't see.
wellcomecollection.org/works/s2juwd...
wellcomecollection.org/works/s2juwd...
November 16, 2025 at 8:56 PM
As King's College London crystallography professor Brian Sutton explained when I interviewed him as part of my research; the key hallmark of photo 51 was how the fibre was off-centre. Photo 49, as important historically, was the x-ray that Watson didn't see.
wellcomecollection.org/works/s2juwd...
wellcomecollection.org/works/s2juwd...
My book 'Rosalind' tells the story of the double helix through Rosalind Franklin's eyes; spotlighting photo 49 (from which she deduced findings), taken from an earlier experiment than photo 51, which became famous because James Watson saw it.
wellcomecollection.org/works/qzrpnj...
wellcomecollection.org/works/qzrpnj...
November 16, 2025 at 12:56 PM
My book 'Rosalind' tells the story of the double helix through Rosalind Franklin's eyes; spotlighting photo 49 (from which she deduced findings), taken from an earlier experiment than photo 51, which became famous because James Watson saw it.
wellcomecollection.org/works/qzrpnj...
wellcomecollection.org/works/qzrpnj...
A photograph of Rosalind Franklin in Italy, 1950. The poster behind her says "Anche Tu Puoi", which means, "You can, too", in English. How appropriate.
digital.sciencehistory.org/works/v97xyyk
(Courtesy of Science History Institute.)
digital.sciencehistory.org/works/v97xyyk
(Courtesy of Science History Institute.)
November 15, 2025 at 12:31 PM
A photograph of Rosalind Franklin in Italy, 1950. The poster behind her says "Anche Tu Puoi", which means, "You can, too", in English. How appropriate.
digital.sciencehistory.org/works/v97xyyk
(Courtesy of Science History Institute.)
digital.sciencehistory.org/works/v97xyyk
(Courtesy of Science History Institute.)
Another often-overlooked factor that came to light when this letter recently went to auction is that she was ousted from her laboratory amid the conflict. That was despite her invaluable data, which she understood of course.
onlineonly.christies.com/s/printed-ma...
onlineonly.christies.com/s/printed-ma...
November 13, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Another often-overlooked factor that came to light when this letter recently went to auction is that she was ousted from her laboratory amid the conflict. That was despite her invaluable data, which she understood of course.
onlineonly.christies.com/s/printed-ma...
onlineonly.christies.com/s/printed-ma...
I find these pages from Rosalind Franklin's notebooks in Jan/Feb 1953 particularly interesting. She draws her own diagrams of DNA, describing a possible structure with chains 'along a-c diagonal', and examines evidence for a '2-chain' helix from photo 49, an earlier x-ray of B DNA than photo 51.
November 8, 2025 at 1:30 PM
I find these pages from Rosalind Franklin's notebooks in Jan/Feb 1953 particularly interesting. She draws her own diagrams of DNA, describing a possible structure with chains 'along a-c diagonal', and examines evidence for a '2-chain' helix from photo 49, an earlier x-ray of B DNA than photo 51.
In private, Rosalind Franklin's colleague at King's College, Maurice Wilkins, begrudged that James Watson and Francis Crick had pinched their data. As per this letter that surfaced at auction.
November 8, 2025 at 11:34 AM
In private, Rosalind Franklin's colleague at King's College, Maurice Wilkins, begrudged that James Watson and Francis Crick had pinched their data. As per this letter that surfaced at auction.
Here, Rosalind Franklin's colleague Maurice himself argues to the head of their lab in London that their data should not have been leaked to Watson and Crick. You're welcome.
November 8, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Here, Rosalind Franklin's colleague Maurice himself argues to the head of their lab in London that their data should not have been leaked to Watson and Crick. You're welcome.
Shout out to everyone who took part in #RunBournemouth at the weekend. What an incredible atmosphere by the coast yesterday. I'm astonished to have completed the Bournemouth Half Marathon (21.09km), to raise money for Macmillan, in 2:17. #halfmarathon #RunBournemouth #MacmillanCancerSupport
October 13, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Shout out to everyone who took part in #RunBournemouth at the weekend. What an incredible atmosphere by the coast yesterday. I'm astonished to have completed the Bournemouth Half Marathon (21.09km), to raise money for Macmillan, in 2:17. #halfmarathon #RunBournemouth #MacmillanCancerSupport
It was a pleasure to meet so many enthusiastic people focused on revolutionising technology to tackle the climate crisis at EarthFest yesterday. #EarthFest
June 7, 2025 at 12:51 PM
It was a pleasure to meet so many enthusiastic people focused on revolutionising technology to tackle the climate crisis at EarthFest yesterday. #EarthFest
This Earth Day, I had the pleasure of speaking to BBC Countryfile presenter Tom Heap (@tomheap.bsky.social) for DC Thomson about how journalists can better communicate climate and environmental stories.
#EarthDay
#EarthDay
April 24, 2025 at 8:57 AM
This Earth Day, I had the pleasure of speaking to BBC Countryfile presenter Tom Heap (@tomheap.bsky.social) for DC Thomson about how journalists can better communicate climate and environmental stories.
#EarthDay
#EarthDay
It was a pleasure to give a talk at my old secondary school @alleynsschool.bsky.social about Rosalind Franklin and the discovery of DNA's double helix this #womenshistorymonth.
The pupils asked really insightful questions, including if the Francis Crick Institute should be renamed after Franklin.
The pupils asked really insightful questions, including if the Francis Crick Institute should be renamed after Franklin.
March 30, 2025 at 7:08 AM
It was a pleasure to give a talk at my old secondary school @alleynsschool.bsky.social about Rosalind Franklin and the discovery of DNA's double helix this #womenshistorymonth.
The pupils asked really insightful questions, including if the Francis Crick Institute should be renamed after Franklin.
The pupils asked really insightful questions, including if the Francis Crick Institute should be renamed after Franklin.
It was great to hear Ed Miliband speak about the net zero "economic opportunity" and the future of GB Energy this morning at an IPPR event in Westminster. #energysky
March 19, 2025 at 1:58 PM
It was great to hear Ed Miliband speak about the net zero "economic opportunity" and the future of GB Energy this morning at an IPPR event in Westminster. #energysky
Yes, I went there with the '9 minute' read. You read that right! #energysky
March 15, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Yes, I went there with the '9 minute' read. You read that right! #energysky
It was a unique pleasure to interview CEOs in the ornate privy chamber at Hampton Court Palace yesterday during the Sustainable Markets Initiative sustainable transition summit. #climatesky
March 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM
It was a unique pleasure to interview CEOs in the ornate privy chamber at Hampton Court Palace yesterday during the Sustainable Markets Initiative sustainable transition summit. #climatesky
We are always ever professional here in the Fleet Street office, not least when carrying out some very serious audiovisual video training.
February 18, 2025 at 7:30 PM
We are always ever professional here in the Fleet Street office, not least when carrying out some very serious audiovisual video training.
Braved the cold yesterday for a day out at the site for the Botley West solar farm in Oxfordshire, near Blenheim. With ambitious plans for biodiversity net gain including bat tunnels and organic produce, it will be the UK's largest solar farm (840MW) when built in 2028, pending approvals. #solar
February 13, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Braved the cold yesterday for a day out at the site for the Botley West solar farm in Oxfordshire, near Blenheim. With ambitious plans for biodiversity net gain including bat tunnels and organic produce, it will be the UK's largest solar farm (840MW) when built in 2028, pending approvals. #solar
These are the only dietary triangles you need...
January 11, 2025 at 12:03 AM
These are the only dietary triangles you need...
Today's frosty walk to the home office doesn't compare.
January 10, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Today's frosty walk to the home office doesn't compare.
Couldn't find an exact replica but it was something like this. Cultural trends and values are transient folks.
January 10, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Couldn't find an exact replica but it was something like this. Cultural trends and values are transient folks.
Not autocorrect, but Google transcription. Edit - replace with 'blue hydrogen'.
January 2, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Not autocorrect, but Google transcription. Edit - replace with 'blue hydrogen'.
Lisbon is living up to its reputation as a foodie city (even for veggies)...
December 15, 2024 at 10:52 AM
Lisbon is living up to its reputation as a foodie city (even for veggies)...