Gregor Mendel was a biologist, botanist and monk who developed the foundations of modern genetics. His studies led him to be known as the "father of genetics".
Gregor Mendel was born on July 20, 1822, in what is now Austria. He died on January 6, 1884, of kidney disease.
Gregor Mendel
Biography
Mendel was the only child of a peasant couple of humble origins. Due to contact with nature, as a child, he always observed and had curiosity about the characteristics of plants.
After completing basic education, with excellent performance, his teacher encouraged him to pursue higher studies. As his family did not have financial resources, at the age of 21, Mendel entered the Monastery of the Order of St. Augustine.
Mendel was registered under the name Johann Mendel and at the monastery he adopted the name Gregor.
The interest in plants extended to his new life, Mendel was responsible for the monastery garden. It was a way of reconciling his religious life with his vocation for science.
In 1851, his superior sent him to the University of Vienna, where he devoted himself to the study of biology, mathematics and chemistry. After three years of studies, he returned to the monastery and became a professor of natural sciences and develop his experiments.
Mendel crossed several plants and observed the behavior of certain characteristics.
The results of his experiments and observations were published in 1866 under the title “Experiments with Hybrid Plants”. In this work, Mendel presents the bases of hereditary transmission and its known laws.
Learn more about Mendel's Laws.
Some references cite that Mendel produced and distributed forty copies of his study. One of the copies was found still sealed in Charles Darwin's office.
Mendel died without recognition of his studies, which only happened at the beginning of the 20th century. His studies were fundamental to understanding the mechanisms of heredity.
Read too:
- Mendel's First Law
- Mendel's Second Law
