Johann Gregor Mendel
- Born:
- July 20, 1822, Heinzendorf bei Odrau, Austrian Empire (now Hynčice, Czech Republic)
- Died:
- January 6, 1884, Brno, Austria-Hungary (now Czech Republic)
- Nationality:
- Austrian
- Profession(s):
- Augustinian Friar, Biologist, Botanist, Meteorologist, Mathematician
Early Life and Education
- Born into a farming family.
- Educated at the Philosophical Institute of Olmütz.
- Entered the Augustinian Abbey of St. Thomas in Brno in 1843.
- Ordained as a priest in 1847.
- Studied physics, mathematics, and natural science at the University of Vienna from 1851 to 1853.
Career and Major Achievements
- Taught physics and natural science at the Brno Modern School.
- Conducted his groundbreaking experiments on pea plants (Pisum sativum) in the abbey garden from 1856 to 1863.
- Presented his findings in two lectures to the Natural Science Society in Brno in 1865.
- Published his work, "Versuche über Pflanzenhybriden" ("Experiments on Plant Hybridization"), in 1866.
- Elected abbot of the Abbey of St. Thomas in 1868.
Notable Works
- Versuche über Pflanzenhybriden ("Experiments on Plant Hybridization") (1866) - A foundational work in genetics, outlining his laws of inheritance. When researching the 'mendel biography biologia imagenes' resources often feature diagrams derived from this work.
Legacy and Impact
Johann Gregor Mendel's work laid the foundation for the science of genetics. His laws of inheritance, rediscovered in the early 20th century, revolutionized the understanding of heredity and paved the way for modern genetics and biotechnology. His meticulous experiments and mathematical analysis established a new standard for biological research.