Gregor Mendel and His Colorful Peas

What did Gregor Mendel discover about garden pea plants?

A. Mendel invented the green pea by cross-breeding thousands of pea plants.

B. Mendel coined the word genes to describe inherited traits.

C. Mendel found evidence that factors for some traits are inherited from parents.

Answer:

It's the last one - Mendel found evidence that factors for some traits are inherited from parents.

Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, conducted groundbreaking experiments with garden pea plants in the 19th century. His observations led him to identify certain patterns in inheritance, setting the foundation for modern genetics.

One of Mendel's significant findings was that the factors responsible for inherited traits are passed down from parents to offspring. This concept, which he called "factors," is now known as genes. By meticulously breeding pea plants with specific characteristics and analyzing the results of these crosses, Mendel was able to determine the patterns of inheritance.

Through his work with pea plants, Mendel established the principles of segregation, independent assortment, and dominant and recessive traits. These principles revolutionized the field of biology and laid the groundwork for our understanding of genetics today.

So, the next time you see a garden pea plant producing flowers in a variety of colors, remember the colorful legacy of Gregor Mendel and his pioneering research!