ABSTRACT
The seeds of genetic science were sown in the 19th century by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, Gregor Mendel’s experiments with garden peas, and Francis Galton’s statistical work on hereditary genius. Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection required that there be variation among organism for a variety of traits and a selection process by which the most useful variants were retained and harmful ones eliminated. The theory also required a hereditary mechanism by which these advantageous traits were passed down from generation to generation, but Darwin was unaware of the nature of this mechanism.
