Gregor Johan Mendel Essay Research Paper This

Gregor Johan Mendel Essay, Research Paper

This file is copyright of Jens Schriver (c) It originates from the Evil House of Cheat More essays can always be found at: —> http://www.CheatHouse.com … and contact can always be made to: Webmaster@cheathouse.com ————————————————————– Essay Name : p2755.txt Uploader : LintEmail Address : lint@softcom.netLanguage : englishSubject : BiologyTitle : Gregor Johan MendelGrade : b+School System : High SchoolCountry : usaAuthor Comments : This is a research paper on the life of Greg MendelTeacher Comments : n/aDate : 1/3/97Site found at : link————————————————————–Todd PaolettiPer 6Mrs. AzevedoGregor Johann MendelGregor Johann Mendel was born in 1822 in Heinzendorf, Moravia. It is now theCzech Republic. When he was 22, he entered the Augustinian Monastery of St. Thomas atBrunn.The Augustinian monastery was established in Moravia in 1350. The monks at themonastery included philosophers, a musicologist, mathematicians, mineralogists andbotanists who all liked scientific research and teaching. The library contained very oldreligious books, as well as books dealing with problems in the sciences. The monasteryalso held a huge mineral collection and had an experimental botanical garden and aherbarium (whatever that is). It was in that monastery, Mendel later wrote, that hispreference for the natural sciences was developed.After becoming an ordained to priesthood, Mendel was assigned to pastoral duties. But, it soon became apparent that he was more interested in teaching and science. He wassent to a secondary school in the city of Znaim and the students liked him. But, when hetook the qualifying state examination for his teaching certificate, he failed. It wasrecommended that Mendel not retake the examination for at least a year and his Abbotbrought him back to Brunn where he taught part-time. The Abbot, amazed at Mendel’sknowledge in science, sent him to the University of Vienna in order to improve his skillsfor his reexamination. Mendel spent four terms in Vienna (1851- 1853) where he attendedlectures and seminars in natural sciences and mathematics. It was there that he acquiredthe scientific skills which he would use to apply to his later experiments. Mendel returnedto his monastery, and continued to teach in Brunn in 1854. When, two years later, he

attempted to get his teaching certification, he became ill and withdrew (yeah right!). Hedid not try again to take the examination, but continued to teach part-time and was devoteto his research.Soon after his return from the University of Vienna, Mendel began hisexperiments. Using 34 different kinds of peas (which, by the way had to be tested for theirgenetic purity), he tried to determine whether it was possible to obtain new types of peasby “crossbreeding”. Around this time, everyone thought that only the male contributed tothe traits of the subject, but Mendel thought that genes were contributed by both the maleand female. He eventually established two principles of heredity that are now well know asthe Law of Segregation and the Law of Independent Assortment. He became the firstto understand the importance of a statistical experiment and to apply a knowledge ofmathematics to his biological problem.Mendel’s findings on plant hybridization were presented in two lectures before theSociety for the Natural Sciences in Brunn in 1865. The paper was “Versuche uberPfanzenhybriden” (no, I don’t know what that means). The guys in this club, all laughed atMendel, and they didn’t think any of his information was correct. It was still published inthe Society’s Proceedings in 1866 and sent to 133 other groups of natural scientists and tothe more important libraries in a number of different countries. His work, however, waslargely ignored until, in the spring of 1900, three botanists, Hugo de Vries (Holland), CarlCorrens (Germany) and E. von Tschermak (Austria) reported independent verifications ofMendel’s work which amounted to a rediscovery of his first principle. Now, everyone waskicking themselves for not listening to Mendel. It was then that Mendel’s work wasrecognized. His work gave birth to a new branch of biology – genetics.Mendel was not mad that his work was ignored for so long. Disappointment neveraffected him even as he pondered other problems and applied mathematical methods to hiswork in horticulture, apiculture (?), meteorology, astronomy and other branches ofscience. Just before his death on January 6, 1884, he commented: “My scientific laborshave brought me a great deal of satisfaction, and I am convinced that before long theentire world will praise the result of my labors”. This guy has a pretty good life story Ithink. The End…………………………………………..By: Todd Michael Paoletti(bibliography supplied upon request!) ————————————————————–