| Science
Friday > Archives
> 2000
> September
> September 22, 2000:
Hour Two: Mendel then...and
now
| In 1865, Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian
monk in Moravia, published a paper entitled "Versuche über
Pflanzen-Hybriden" (Experiments in Plant Hybridization). Little
happened. Few cared. It was not until 1900, sixteen years after
Mendel's death, that the research Mendel had performed on pea plants
in his monastery garden was rediscovered by the scientific community. |
|
Even then, his work was not widely accepted, running counter to the popular
biological theories of the day.
Today, Mendel is considered to be the father of the field of genetics.
His patient experiments crossing pea plants with round or wrinkled seeds,
tall or short stems, and green or yellow seeds may seem simple in this
time of cloning,and DNA testing -- and yet his basic theories are still
very much in use today.
On this hour of Science Friday, we'll trace the work of the monk in
the garden through the generations.
Guests:
Robin Marantz Henig
Author,
"The Monk in the Garden: The Lost and Found Genius of Gregor Mendel"
New York, New York
James Crow
Emeritus Professor, Genetics
and Medical Genetics
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Donald Duvick
Affiliate Professor, Plant Breeding
Iowa State University
Senior Vice President for Research
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
Johnston, Iowa
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
- MendelWeb
- The
Biology Project: Mendelian Genetics
- Olby's
"Mendel, Mendelism, and Genetics," at MendelWeb
- Botany
online: Classic Genetics - Mendel and Earlier Works
- G.A.
Marx Pea Collection
- The
Monk in the Garden Web site
- Careers
in Genetics Field
- The
Gene School - Mendel: The Father of Genetics
Produced By: Karin Vergoth
Web Producer: Charles
Bergquist
|
