Ludvig H. P. K. von Baer

Ludvig H. P. K. von Baer was a 19th-century scientist known for discovering that embryos of different vertebrates (like humans, fish, and birds) develop in similar ways early on. He identified that all vertebrate embryos start with common features, which later diverge into the specific forms of each species. This helped scientists understand how animals develop and provided key insights into evolutionary biology. Von Baer’s work emphasized that development (ontogeny) reflects ancestral evolutionary history, shaping how we understand growth, development, and the relationships between species.