90th Anniversary Issue: 1950s
DNA's structure revealed and other highlights, 1950–59
Double helix discovered
In 1953, the discovery of DNA’s structure topped Science News Letter’s top 10 stories of the year, beating out the polio vaccine and the “successful climbing of Mt. Everest.” The finding was not an instant hit, though; the initial April report in Nature of DNA’s double helix drew little notice from reporters.