Carl Ernst von Baer

Carl Ernst von Baer was a pioneering scientist born in 1792 who made significant contributions to embryology—the study of how animals develop before birth. He was the first to describe and compare early stages of embryo development across different species, uncovering common patterns that helped scientists understand life's complexity. Von Baer also contributed to taxonomy, classifying animals into evolutionary groups. His work laid the foundation for modern developmental biology, emphasizing the importance of observation and comparative studies in understanding biological processes.