1866
1859
GREGOR MENDEL
This Augustinian monk is generally considered be the father of genetics for having been the firs shed light on the way in which characteristics passed down through generations .
CHARLES DARWIN
In 1859 , Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species . In it , Darwin proposed a theory of evolution based on a process of natural selection . Darwin argued that those individuals in a species best suited to their environment are more likely to survive , reproduce , and pass on their characteristics to future generations . This in turn leads to a species gradually evolving over time .
Between 1856 and 1863 , Mendel conduc experiments on pea plants , attempting to crossbre ' true ' lines for a variety of characteristics includ plant colour . He found that when a yellow pea pl and a green pea plant were bred together , th offspring were always yellow . However , in the n generation of plants , green peas returned in ratio of 3:1 . Mendel coined the terms recessive a dominant in relation to traits , in order to explain t phenomenon
In 1866 , Mendle published a paper describing action of ' invisible factors ' in determining vis traits in predictable ways . We now know that ' invisible factors ' he had identified were genes .