Introduction to Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, and a glimpse into his groundbreaking experiments.
A brief introduction to Gregor Mendel, a monk with a passion for studying heredity using pea plants in the 1800s. He became the father of genetics.
Mendel chose pea plants because they have distinct, easily observable traits, and they reproduce quickly.
Mendel studied seven traits in pea plants, such as seed shape, flower color, and pod appearance, to understand inheritance.
Mendel found that each parent contributes one allele for a trait, which segregates during the formation of gametes.
Mendel observed that different traits are inherited independently of each other, leading to genetic variation.
Mendel discovered consistent ratios in the offspring, such as the famous 3:1 ratio in monohybrid crosses.
Mendel's work was largely ignored by the scientific community until it was rediscovered in the early 20th century.
Today, Mendel's principles form the foundation of genetics, influencing everything from agriculture to medicine.
Recap how Mendel's meticulous experiments with pea plants revolutionized our understanding of genetics.