Page 13 - St. Joseph Messenger November 2020

Mendel discovered that when a yellow pea plant
and a green pea plant were bred together their off-
spring was always yellow. However, in the next
generation of plants, the green peas returned in a
ratio of 3:1.
Mendel came up with the genetic terms
“recessive” and “dominant” in relation to explain
this result. In this particular experiment he found
that the green trait was recessive and the yellow
trait was dominant.
He then published his findings describing the
action of “invisible” factors in providing for visible
traits in predictable ways. These invisible factors
are now known as “genes.”
Mendel’s Legacy
The research and theories of Mendel’s work are
considered the basis to understanding genetics.
However, his work was not always accepted.
When Mendel died in 1884, his work was not
widely known.
Decades later, after Mendel’s work was used by
several noted geneticists, botanists, and biologists,
its significance was appreciated. Although these
scientists claimed not to have known about Men-
del’s research, they finally did give him credit in
being the first to lay a foundation for genetics.
Mendel did not publicize his work and ordered
only a minimal number of reprints. Of these the
whereabouts of only eight of these prints is known.
The Last Years of His Life
In 1868, Mendel became abbot of the school in
which he had been teaching. The duties of this
position along with his failing eyesight did not
allow him to do much more research. He died not
really knowing what his work would mean to the
world of modern science. But his theories and
research are basic to understanding the field of
genetics and the title “Father of Modern Genetics”
is testament to this fact. SJM
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Other Catholic Scientists
Of Note
ROGER BACON - Franciscan friar who
made significant contributions to mathematics,
optics, and the modern scientific method
RENÉ DESCARTES - father of modern
philosophy and analytic geometry
MARY KENNETH KELLER - Sister of
Charity and first American woman to earn a
PhD in computer science who helped develop
BASIC
ANTOINE LAVOISIER - French chemist
th
central to the 18 -century chemical revolu-
tion and who had a large influence on the history
of chemistry and the history of biology.
GUGLIELMO MARCONI - Italian inventor
and electrical engineer, known for his pioneer-
ing work on long-distance radio transmission,
development of Marconi's law, and a radio
telegraph system
ST. GIUSEPPE MOSCATI - discoverer of in-
sulin who studied and became proficient in 20
different medical specialties in order to best
serve others
BLAISE PASCAL - French mathematician,
physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher
LOUIS PASTEUR - French biologist, microbi-
ologist, and chemist renowned for his discover-
ies of the principles of vaccination, microbial
fermentation, and pasteurization.
ALESSANDRO VOLTA - Italian physicist,
chemist, and pioneer of electricity and power
who is credited as the inventor of the electric
battery and the discoverer of methane