Dorothy Hodgkin

1910-1994

Solved molecular shapes of lifesaving medicines

What if I told you a scientist could 'photograph' things too tiny to see? Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin did something like that. She was a British chemist born in 1910 who worked in the mid‑1900s. She learned how to use X‑rays and crystals to make invisible molecules visible.

Her big idea — called X‑ray crystallography — is like shining a strong light through a crystal and reading the pattern it makes. The pattern is a secret code; with math and clever thinking scientists turn that code into a 3‑D picture. That picture shows how atoms are arranged and how a molecule fits together.

Dorothy and her lab turned blurry X‑ray pictures into clear models of real chemicals. She solved the structure of penicillin after patient work, figured out the complex vitamin B12, and later revealed insulin’s 3‑D shape. Each solution was like finishing a giant jigsaw puzzle made of atoms.

Knowing these shapes helped scientists understand how medicines join to targets in the body, which led to better drugs and treatments for many people. Because of her discoveries Dorothy won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964 and inspired many young scientists, especially girls. She believed in teamwork, careful measurements, and never giving up. If you love puzzles and curiosity, you can explore science like Dorothy and help solve big mysteries too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was Dorothy Hodgkin born?

She was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1910 and later studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford in England.

What is X-ray crystallography in simple words?

It's a method where X-rays shine through a crystal to make a pattern, and scientists use math to turn that pattern into a 3‑D picture of the molecule inside.

Did she receive other scientific honors?

Yes. Dorothy Hodgkin was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and received many honors for her research over her career.

Did she face challenges as a woman scientist?

Yes. She worked at a time when few women were in labs and balanced family and research, but she became a role model and trained many students.

How can kids try something like her work?

Build ball-and-stick molecule models, use crystal kits or online simulations, and try puzzle activities that show how small parts fit together—these teach the same ideas of shape and fitting.