The double helix model of DNA is attributed to James Watson and Francis Crick. They published their groundbreaking paper in the journal Nature in 1953, outlining their discovery.

While Watson and Crick are celebrated for their work, it's important to note that they built upon the work of many other scientists:

* Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins used X-ray diffraction to produce images of DNA, which were crucial in determining the structure.

* Erwin Chargaff discovered that the bases in DNA occur in specific ratios (adenine with thymine, and guanine with cytosine), which helped Watson and Crick understand how the bases pair up.

* Linus Pauling was close to discovering the structure himself, but his model was incorrect.

Therefore, while Watson and Crick are credited with the final model, it was a collaborative effort involving many individuals.