“Double Helix,” at Bay Street Theater, illuminates the British scientist’s contributions, which became the basis for James Watson and Francis Crick’s 1953 breakthrough.

New York — The discovery of DNA's double helix structure 70 years ago opened up a world of new science — and also sparked disputes over who contributed what and who deserves credit.

Double Helix follows a fictionalized version of Franklin, who struggles to choose between her work and her relationship with scientist Jacques Mering—which may have been merely a crush in reality.

The most famous image to emerge from 20th-century biology is the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) double helix, illustrating the structure of the gene, life’s genetic material. Credit for the ...