Gregor Mendel (concept)

Gregor Mendel was a scientist who studied how traits like color and height are passed from parents to their offspring, using pea plants. He discovered that traits are inherited through specific units—what we now call genes—that come in different forms called alleles. These inherited units follow certain patterns, meaning some traits are more likely to appear together. Mendel's work laid the foundation for modern genetics by explaining how inheritance works, showing that traits are transmitted predictably and not randomly. His insights help us understand biological inheritance in plants, animals, and humans.