Friedrich Miescher named the molecule "nuclein" in 1869, which was later changed to "nucleic acid" and eventually to "deoxyribonucleic acid" or DNA. He discovered this molecule while studying white blood cells and was interested in its slightly acidic nature and high phosphorus content.
While Miescher is credited with discovering and naming the molecule, it was not until the 1950s that the structure and function of DNA were fully understood.
