Florence Bell’s scientific career began in the 1930s whilst studying at Cambridge University. The University did not grant degrees to women at the time, but this did not dissuade Florence. She was so talented at an imaging technique called X-ray crystallography that she started a PhD in the field – and it was during this time that she would make a pivotal discovery about the molecule of life.

Florence is an unsung hero of the DNA story. Her work laid the foundation for a vital field of research, yet her contribution was buried for years. Dr Julia Ravey and Dr Ella Hubber tell Florence’s tale, with input from Dr Kersten Hall, science historian and visiting fellow at the University of Leeds.

Producer/presenter: Dr Ella Hubber and Dr Julia Ravey

(Photo: Florence Bell. Credit: Courtesy of her son Chris Sawyer. No reuse)