The discovery of DNA is often attributed to Switzerland, as Friedrich Miescher, a Swiss scientist, first isolated nuclein (now known as DNA) in 1869.
However, it's important to note that Miescher didn't fully understand the significance of his discovery. He initially thought nuclein was a complex protein, not a genetic material.
It was only later, in the 1940s and 50s, that scientists like Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty confirmed DNA as the carrier of genetic information.
Then, in 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick, with the help of Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction images, determined the double helix structure of DNA, which revolutionized our understanding of genetics.
Therefore, while Switzerland holds the credit for the initial isolation of DNA, the full understanding and significance of its discovery came from the contributions of scientists from various countries throughout the 20th century.
