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By Keir Chapman / 16th October 2015

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On This Day...

: 1859

On this day in 1859 work began on the modern Suez Canal which links the Mediterranean and Red Sea allowing ships to pass from West Africa and East Asia to Europe. Man made canals had been made in that region before by the ancient Egyptians but they had been destroyed in wars and through disrepair. The international collaboration took ten years completing 164 kilometre (102 mile) long canal which was open for shipping on the 17^th of November 1869. Originally 8 meters (26ft) deep the canal has been enlarged since to incorporate new larger ships and is currently 193 kilometres (120 miles) long, 24 m (79 ft) deep and 205 metres (673 ft) wide.; 1953

On this day in 1953 the structure of DNA was first published in the Journal, Nature, finally explaining the question of how life reproduces. The structure of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) was discovered at Cambridge University, England on the 28^th of February 1953. The discovery was hailed as one of the greatest discoveries of the 20^th Century. Molecular biologists James D. Watson (American) and Francis Crick (English) were attempting to discover the shape of DNA in the hope of uncovering how it replicates itself. They received x-ray images from Maurice Wilkins of DNA in early February allowing them to make the discovery and model of the double helix. Maurice Wilkins was working with Rosalind Franklin to study DNA using x-ray diffraction at Kings College London. The discovery would not be announced until the 25^th April 1953 when it was published in the Journal Nature and would later earn Watson, Crick and Wilkins the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Unfortunately Rosalind Franklin died in 1958 before the Prize was awarded. In January 2013 scientist working at Cambridge University discovered the presence of the ‘Quadruple Helix’ in some human cells. Published in the Journal, Nature, the scientists believe that it may be linked to cancer and controlling the structure may prove a new way to fight the disease.

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