Mostly X-ray diffraction patterns, basic knowledge of chemistry (neither were chemists), and simple guess work. There exists a bit of controversy over how much credit they (and others) should be given for this discovery.
crick
The structure of DNA was determined by James Watson and Francis Crick back in 1953
James Watson and Francis Crick.
Watson & Crick first proposed the theory of the structure of DNA
Watson and Crick
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crick
F, Crick and j.Watson discovered the structure of DNA.
they described the structure of DNA
he helped discover the structure of DNA alon with Francis Crick he helped discover the structure of DNA alon with Francis Crick
Crick and Watson tried to understand the structure of DNA by building three dimensional models of the molecule.
The discovery of the structure of DNA was a culmative effort. After the discovery that the genes were paired, Watson and Crick suggested the first accurate model of DNA structure in the journal of Nature.
Watson and Crick used the X-ray diffraction patterns to determine that DNA was a helical molecule. Withe the use of models, they built what we know as the DNA Double-Helix.
The structure of DNA was found by Francis Crick and James Watson in 1953.