16+ Best Rosalind Franklin Quotes: Exclusive Selection

Rosalind Elsie Franklin was an English chemist who displayed exceptional intelligence from early childhood. She was X-ray crystallographer whose work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite. Franklin is best known for her role in the discovery of the structure of DNA, and for her pioneering use of X-ray diffraction.

If you’re searching for life quotes and sayings that perfectly capture what you’d like to say or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of Ada Lovelace quotes, and inspiring Marie Curie quotes.

Most Famous Rosalind Franklin Quotes

Faith in this world is perfectly possible without faith in another world. – Rosalind Franklin

Science, for me, gives a partial explanation for life. In so far as it goes, it is based on fact, experience and experiment. – Rosalind Franklin

You look at science (or at least talk of it) as some sort of demoralizing invention of man, something apart from real life, and which must be cautiously guarded and kept separate from everyday existence. – Rosalind Franklin

My method of thought and reasoning is influenced by a scientific training—if that were not so my scientific training will have been a waste and a failure. – Rosalind Franklin

The results suggest a helical structure [of DNA] (which must be very closely packed) containing probably 2, 3, or 4 coaxial nucleic acid chains per helical unit and having the phosphate groups near the outside. – Rosalind Franklin Faith in this world is perfectly possible without faith in another world. – Rosalind Franklin

While the biological properties of deoxypentose nucleic acid suggest a molecular structure containing great complexity, X-ray diffraction studies described here…show the basic molecular configuration has great simplicity. – Rosalind Franklin

Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated. Science, for me, gives a partial explanation of life … I do not accept your definition of faith i.e. belief in life after death … Your faith rests on the future of yourself and others as individuals, mine in the future and fate of our successors. It seems to me that yours is the more selfish … [as to] the question of a creator. A creator of what? … I see no reason to believe that a creator of protoplasm or primeval matter, if such there be, has any reason to be interested in our insignificant race in a tiny corner of the universe. – Rosalind Franklin

In my view, all that is necessary for faith is the belief that by doing our best we shall come nearer to success and that success in our aims (the improvement of the lot of mankind, present and future) is worth attaining…I maintain that faith in this world is perfectly possible without faith in another world. – Rosalind Franklin

We wish to discuss a structure for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid. D.N.A. This structure has novel features which are of considerable biologic interest. – Rosalind Franklin

I see no reason to believe that a creator of protoplasm or primeval matter, if such there be, has any reason to be interested in our insignificant race in a tiny corner of the universe, and still less in us, as still more insignificant individuals. Again, I see no reason why the belief that we are insignificant or fortuitous should lessen our faith. – Rosalind Franklin

Conclusion: Big helix in several chains, phosphates on outside, phosphate-phosphate inter-helical bonds disrupted by water. Phosphate links available to proteins. – Rosalind Franklin

I would willingly go more primitive if it were necessary to preserve my freedom. – Rosalind Franklin

Traveling around in a little tin box isolates one from the people and the atmosphere of the place in a way that I have never experienced before. – Rosalind Franklin

You frequently state, and in your letter you imply, that I have developed a completely one-sided outlook and look at everything in terms of science. Obviously my method of thought and reasoning is influenced by a scientific training – if that were not so my scientific training will have been a waste and a failure. But you look at science (or at least talk of it) as some sort of demoralizing invention of man, something apart from real life, and which must be cautiously guarded and kept separate from everyday existence. But science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated. Science, for me, gives a partial explanation of life. In so far as it goes, it is based on fact, experience and experiment. Your theories are those which you and many other people find easiest and pleasantest to believe, but so far as I can see, they have no foundation other than they leaf to a pleasanter view of life (and an exaggerated idea of our own importance)…

I agree that faith is essential to success in life (success of any sort) but I do not accept your definition of faith, i.e. belief in life after death. In my view, all that is necessary for faith is the belief that by doing our best we shall come nearer to success and that success in our aims (the improvement of the lot of mankind, present and future) is worth attaining. Anyone able to believe in all that religion implies obviously must have such faith, but I maintain that faith in this world is perfectly possible without faith in another world…

It has just occurred to me that you may raise the question of the creator. A creator of what? … I see no reason to believe that a creator of protoplasm or primeval matter, if such there be, has any reason to be interested in our significant race in a tiny corner of the universe, and still less in us, as still more significant individuals. Again, I see no reason why the belief that we are insignificant or fortuitous should lessen our faith – as I have defined it.