Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
The X-ray diffraction studies of the scientists named Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins were essential for the discovery of the structure of the DNA molecule.
Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction images of DNA provided crucial insights into its structure. Her famous Photo 51 image, taken in 1952, showed a distinctive X-shaped pattern that indicated the helical structure of DNA.
Maurice Wilkins, along with his colleague Raymond Gosling, collaborated with Franklin and used her X-ray images to further study the structure of DNA. Wilkins and Gosling's experiments confirmed the helical nature of DNA and provided additional evidence for its double-helix structure.
It is important to note that while Franklin's contributions were critical to the discovery, she did not receive the recognition she deserved during her lifetime. James Watson and Francis Crick, who also made significant contributions to the understanding of DNA's structure, used Franklin's data without her knowledge or permission when they proposed their famous double-helix model in 1953.