Gregor Mendel: The Father of Genetics
Who was Gregor Mendel and what were his contributions to science?
Choose the correct option from the following statements:
- A) Gregor Mendel was a physicist known for his contributions to the theory of relativity.
- B) Gregor Mendel was an astronomer who discovered the laws of planetary motion.
- C) Gregor Mendel was a botanist who conducted experiments on pea plants and established the principles of heredity.
- D) Gregor Mendel was a chemist who discovered the periodic table of elements.
Answer:
Gregor Mendel was a Catholic priest and scientist who performed significant research specific to heredity using pea plants.
Gregor Mendel, the Austrian geneticist, was a pioneer in the field of genetics and heredity. He conducted experiments on pea plants in the mid-19th century and established the fundamental principles of heredity. Instead of relying on available studies, Mendel initiated a new era in biology by analyzing the traits of nearly 30,000 pea plants over a decade.
His research led to the discovery of dominant and recessive traits in pea plants. These findings were groundbreaking and formed the basis for modern genetics. Mendel's work, titled 'Experiments in Plant Hybridization', outlined the principles of inheritance and laid the foundation for the study of genetics.
Despite facing initial skepticism, Mendel's work eventually gained recognition posthumously for its significance in genetic research. He is now widely regarded as the father of modern genetics.