Thomas Hunt Morgan’s Contribution to Genetics

Thomas Hunt Morgan’s Contribution to Genetics

What is Thomas Hunt Morgan famous for? How did Morgan’s discovery advance our understanding of heredity? Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866 -1945) was an American zoologist and geneticist. He is most known for his experimental research with the fruit flies by which he made two crucial discoveries about genes. Specifically, he discovered the phenomena of genetic linkage and crossing over. Keep reading to learn about Thomas Hunt Morgan’s contribution to genetics.

Siddhartha Mukherjee: Tracing the History of Genetics

Siddhartha Mukherjee: Tracing the History of Genetics

How long have we been studying genetics? What were the most significant events in the history of the field? The word “gene” was coined by Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen in 1909. However, crucial strides in the field of genetics had been made before that term even existed. Keep reading to learn about the scientists that laid the groundwork for the study of genetics.

How Francis Galton’s Eugenics Inspired the Holocaust

How Francis Galton’s Eugenics Inspired the Holocaust

Who first formulated eugenics? How did Galton’s ideas inspire the Holocaust? Francis Galton coined the term “eugenics” in 1883. Put simply, eugenics meant strategic breeding with the goal of producing a superior human race by weeding out undesirable traits. Galton’s ideas were deeply immoral from the start, but they didn’t reach their terrifying conclusion decades later when Hitler came to power. Here’s how Francis Galton’s eugenics has led to the extermination of 11 million people.

Siddhartha Mukherjee: How Was DNA Discovered?

Siddhartha Mukherjee: How Was DNA Discovered?

How was DNA discovered? Why did scientists initially dismiss DNA as a carrier of genetic information? Scientists discovered nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) in the 1920s, but they decided that nucleic acids were much too simple to carry genetic information. Therefore, they dismissed those molecules in favor of studying proteins, which were much more complex. Keep reading to learn how DNA was discovered.

Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs: History & Partnership

Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs: History & Partnership

What was the partnership between Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs like? How did they meet in the first place? Steve Wozniak is best known as one of the co-founders of Apple alongside Steve Jobs. The book Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson details how the two first met and their partnership that led to the creation of Apple. Keep reading to learn about Wozniak and Jobs’s business relationship.

Hugo de Vries’s Theory of Evolution: Filling in the Gaps

Hugo de Vries’s Theory of Evolution: Filling in the Gaps

What is Hugo de Vries known for? How did Hugo de Vries’s theory of evolution differ from Darwin’s? Hugo de Vries is known for filling the gaps in Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by adding the concept of mutations. Mutations are a critical part of the evolutionary theory: There must be a chance, however small, that genetic information could spontaneously change during reproduction. Here’s why without mutations, evolution is not possible.