Barbara F. McClintock

Barbara F. McClintock was an American scientist who made groundbreaking discoveries in genetics. She studied how genes in corn plants can move around within a chromosome, effectively "jumping" to different locations. This proved that genes are more dynamic than previously thought, leading to the concept of "jumping genes" or transposons. Her work helped us understand genetic regulation and variation, and in 1983, she won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her discoveries. McClintock's research significantly advanced our knowledge of genetics and the complex ways genes can change and influence living organisms.