Mr. Rogers should be everyone's hero. I'm gonna say Rosalind Franklin. Watson & Crick get all the credit for "discovering" DNA but it was her research that largely made it possible. She didn't even get to be part of the joint Nobel Prize given in 1962 for the research.
Mainly because she was dead. Your comment could leave one with a different impression. Nobels aren't given posthumously, and she doubtlessly would've been part of the citation had she still been living in '62. Sadly, she died of cancer, which very likely could have resulted from her repeated exposure to ionizing radiation. She suffered for her craft, and the world benefited, even if she didn't. This isn't to say that she wasn't royally screwed by a lot of people, Watson and Crick especially, as they basically stole her data. But they probably would have stole it from a man, too, given the opportunity. That's just how science works, unfortunately. I think that most people these days who pay attention recognize Franklin as the "true" discoverer of the structure of DNA.She didn't even get to be part of the joint Nobel Prize given in 1962 for the research.
valuable clarifications. thanks, b. (edit: deleted double post)
Funny that you mention them. Studying for a biochemistry final and our professor is big on the history of the subject so I just got done rereading some info about them.
Frank Abagnale, with super-props for ending it all with by hiring himself out as a fraud consultant for banks and the FBI. His story is in a book that middle-school-me loved called Catch Me If You Can. I suggest purchasing the book and the movie, and then burning the movie as fireplace fuel while you read the book. e-on second thought may also need a gas mask but you got my point