Mendel, Gregor

1995/08/02 Azkune Mendia, Iñaki - Elhuyar Fundazioa | Kaltzada, Pili - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Biografiak

(1822-1884)

This Austrian botanist and religious saw the first light at Heinzendorf in 1822. His parents were peasants and educated his son in the love of nature. When he was a fervent child, he spent many hours in his home garden. This hobby allowed Mendel to carry out a discovery that later is based on genetics.

He studied in Leipnik and Troppau. Four years after entering the order of the Augustinians in 1843, he took the priest, taking the name of Gregory. 1851 n He was sent to the University of Vienna to learn mathematics and science. Only he obtained a second degree degree, among other things because he could not overcome biology. He was a professor at the school in Brünn between 1849 and 1863, where he channeled his experiments.

He conducted his first experiments on pea hybridization in the convent garden from 1857 and collected his results in the 1866 series of articles Hybrid Experiments. Although the source of the experiments was the peas raised in the convent garden, Mendel knew Darwin's theories well, which he described as being directly related to the development of the species.

In the garden he sowed dwarfs and Nazi highs. He discovered that all the descendants of the Ilar-Nazi dwarves were dwarf peas. However, the Upper Ilar-Nazi gave tall peas and dwarves together. Surprised by the results of the experiments, Mendel overturned himself more by mixing Nazi dwarfs and highs. In the generations after the mixture dwarf and tall peas appeared in different proportions. According to Mendel, when two different characteristics are mixed they are not completely equal and the particularities of each of them are preserved.

At present we state in another way the experiments carried out by Mendel. On the one hand, it is said that an inherited characteristic is controlled by a pair of alleles and that alleles are separated in the reproductive cells. On the other hand, it is fully assumed that the alleles that delimit each character are distributed independently to the gametes and combine with each other. In other words, the result of experiments with peas are the basic laws of inheritance and, in honor of its discoverer, they are known as Mendel's Laws.

Mendel's discovery had no impact on the scientists of the time. This deeply regretted Mendel and decided to stop investigating. With the decision made, he was appointed head of the convent and since then only took care of those tasks.

In 1900 the botanist De Vries discovered the works of Mendel. He immediately presented himself at the scientific meeting points and unanimously approved the excellent work done by the anonymous priest.

By then it was too late. Gregor Johann died in solitary and desperate convent of Mendel Brünn in 1884, 16 years before science cancelled his debt with him.