science of heredity

Heredity is the biological process by which traits are passed from parents to their offspring through genes, which are units of genetic material found in DNA. These genes carry instructions that influence characteristics like eye color, height, and predispositions to certain diseases. During reproduction, eggs and sperm exchange DNA, combining genetic information from both parents. This combination determines the traits of the new individual. Heredity helps explain the similarities between family members and how certain traits are inherited across generations. Modern science also studies how environmental factors interact with genes, affecting how traits develop over a person's lifetime.