Evolution, Heredity & Genetics, ORD-YOU
Earth has housed a vast variety of plants, animals, and other living things throughout the history of its existence, and many living things have changed in discernible ways over the years. The theory of evolution, one of the fundamental keystones of modern biological theory, examines the way in which such changes unfold. Heredity describes the biological processes by which certain characteristics are transmitted from parents to their offspring. Genetics studies heredity in general and genes in particular.
Evolution, Heredity & Genetics Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Ordovician radiation
Ordovician radiation, an interval of intense diversification of marine animal life that unfolded over tens of millions......
Ordovician-Silurian extinction
Ordovician-Silurian extinction, global mass extinction event occurring during the Hirnantian Age (445.2 million......
Origins of Birds
Origins of Birds, According to nearly all ornithologists, birds are not only the descendants of ancient dinosaurs,......
orthogenesis
orthogenesis, theory that successive members of an evolutionary series become increasingly modified in a single......
Paedomorphosis
Paedomorphosis, retention by an organism of juvenile or even larval traits into later life. There are two aspects......
parallel evolution
parallel evolution, the evolution of geographically separated groups in such a way that they show morphological......
Pearson, Karl
Karl Pearson was a British statistician, leading founder of the modern field of statistics, prominent proponent......
pedigree
pedigree, a record of ancestry or purity of breed. Studbooks (listings of pedigrees for horses, dogs, etc.) and......
Permian extinction
Permian extinction, a series of extinction pulses that contributed to the greatest mass extinction in Earth’s history.......
phenotype
phenotype, all the observable characteristics of an organism that result from the interaction of its genotype (total......
Plasmid
Plasmid, in microbiology, an extrachromosomal genetic element that occurs in many bacterial strains. Plasmids are......
Pleomorphism
Pleomorphism, the existence of irregular and variant forms in the same species or strain of microorganisms, a condition......
polymerase chain reaction
polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a technique used to make numerous copies of a specific segment of DNA quickly......
polymorphism
polymorphism, in biology, a discontinuous genetic variation resulting in the occurrence of several different forms......
polyploidy
polyploidy, the condition in which a normally diploid cell or organism acquires one or more additional sets of......
Pontecorvo, Guido
Guido Pontecorvo was an Italian geneticist who discovered the process of genetic recombination in the fungus Aspergillus.......
prophase
prophase, the initial stage of mitosis and of the mitotic division of meiosis, characterized by the formation of......
Punnett, Reginald
Reginald Punnett was an English geneticist who, with the English biologist William Bateson, discovered genetic......
Pääbo, Svante
Svante Pääbo is a Swedish evolutionary geneticist who specialized in the study of DNA from ancient specimens and......
Ribose
Ribose, five-carbon sugar found in RNA (ribonucleic acid), where it alternates with phosphate groups to form the......
ribosomal RNA
ribosomal RNA (rRNA), molecule in cells that forms part of the protein-synthesizing organelle known as a ribosome......
RNA
RNA, complex compound of high molecular weight that functions in cellular protein synthesis and replaces DNA (deoxyribonucleic......
Romer, Alfred Sherwood
Alfred Sherwood Romer was a U.S. paleontologist widely known for his concepts of evolutionary history of vertebrate......
Rosbash, Michael
Michael Rosbash is an American geneticist known for his discoveries concerning circadian rhythm, the cyclical 24-hour......
Runaway selection hypothesis
Runaway selection hypothesis, in biology, an explanation first proposed by English statistician R.A. Fisher in......
Ruvkun, Gary
Gary Ruvkun is an American molecular biologist and geneticist renowned for his groundbreaking research on microRNA......
Sager, Ruth
Ruth Sager was an American geneticist chiefly noted for recognizing the importance of nonchromosomal genes. Sager......
Saunders, Edith Rebecca
Edith Rebecca Saunders was a British botanist and plant geneticist known for her contributions to the understanding......
Schindewolf, Otto Heinrich
Otto Heinrich Schindewolf was a German paleontologist, known for his research on corals and cephalopods. Schindewolf......
Scopes Trial
Dubbed the “trial of the century,” the 1925 case of State of Tennessee v. John T. Scopes—commonly known as the......
secretor system
secretor system, phenotype based on the presence of soluble antigens on the surfaces of red blood cells and in......
selection
selection, in biology, the preferential survival and reproduction or preferential elimination of individuals with......
selection coefficient
selection coefficient, in genetics, a measure of the relative reduction in the contribution that a particular genotype......
self-fertilization
self-fertilization, fusion of male and female gametes (sex cells) produced by the same individual. Self-fertilization......
sex determination
sex determination, the establishment of the sex of an organism, usually by the inheritance at the time of fertilization......
sex-controlled character
sex-controlled character, a genetically controlled feature that may appear in organisms of both sexes but is expressed......
sex-limited character
sex-limited character, an observable feature appearing only in members of one sex of a given population of organisms,......
sex-linked character
sex-linked character, an observable feature of an organism controlled by the genes on the chromosomes that determine......
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism, the differences in appearance between males and females of the same species, such as in color,......
sexual selection
sexual selection, theory in postulating that the evolution of certain conspicuous physical traits—such as pronounced......
Shull, George Harrison
George Harrison Shull was an American botanist and geneticist known as the father of hybrid corn (maize). As a......
Simpson, George Gaylord
George Gaylord Simpson was an American paleontologist known for his contributions to evolutionary theory and to......
single nucleotide polymorphism
single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), variation in a genetic sequence that affects only one of the basic building......
Snell, George Davis
George Davis Snell was an American immunogeneticist who, with Jean Dausset and Baruj Benacerraf, was awarded the......
social Darwinism
social Darwinism, the theory that human groups and races are subject to the same laws of natural selection as Charles......
Speciation
Speciation, the formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution. Speciation involves the splitting......
Spencer, Herbert
Herbert Spencer was an English sociologist and philosopher, an early advocate of the theory of evolution, who achieved......
Stahl, Franklin
Franklin Stahl was an American geneticist who, with Matthew Meselson, elucidated in 1958 the mode of replication......
Stebbins, George Ledyard, Jr.
George Ledyard Stebbins, Jr. was an American botanist and geneticist known for his application of the modern synthetic......
Stevens, Nettie
Nettie Stevens was an American biologist and geneticist who was one of the first scientists to find that sex is......
Sturtevant, Alfred Henry
Alfred Henry Sturtevant was an American geneticist who in 1913 developed a technique for mapping the location of......
survival of the fittest
survival of the fittest, term made famous in the fifth edition (published in 1869) of On the Origin of Species......
Sutton, Walter
Walter Sutton was a U.S. geneticist who provided the first conclusive evidence that chromosomes carry the units......
Suzuki, David
David Suzuki is a Canadian scientist, television personality, author, and environmental activist who is known for......
Swaminathan, M.S.
M.S. Swaminathan was an Indian geneticist and agricultural scientist who spearheaded India’s agricultural transformation.......
Szostak, Jack W.
Jack W. Szostak is an English-born American biochemist and geneticist who was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for......
T.H. Huxley on evolution and biology
Although his formal education occurred between the ages of 8 and 10, plus four or five years at medical school,......
Tatum, Edward L.
Edward L. Tatum was an American biochemist who helped demonstrate that genes determine the structure of particular......
Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a French philosopher and paleontologist known for his theory that man is evolving,......
telophase
telophase, in mitosis and meiosis, the final stage of cell division in which the spindle disappears and the nucleus......
temporal isolation
temporal isolation, in biology, a type of reproductive isolation mechanism among sexual organisms in which the......
Testcross
Testcross, the mating of an organism whose genetic constitution, or genotype, is unknown with an organism whose......
The Darwin-Lincoln Double Bicentennial
Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin, two of the 19th century’s most enduring thinkers and figures, share more than......
The Oldest Human Ancestor
In 2017, our family tree got a little taller: an international team of scientists identified well-preserved fossils......
Thompson, Sir D’Arcy Wentworth
Sir D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson was a Scottish zoologist and classical scholar noted for his influential work On......
Today in History—September 15: Charles Darwin Visits the Galapagos Islands
Somewhere out there was a turtle and a mockingbird that changed human understanding of how life on Earth evolved.......
transfer RNA
transfer RNA (tRNA), small molecule in cells that carries amino acids to organelles called ribosomes, where they......
Tschermak von Seysenegg, Erich
Erich Tschermak von Seysenegg was an Austrian botanist, one of the co-discoverers of Gregor Mendel’s classic papers......
Variation
Variation, in biology, any difference between cells, individual organisms, or groups of organisms of any species......
Vavilov, Nikolai
Nikolai Vavilov was a Soviet plant geneticist whose research into the origins of cultivated plants incurred the......
Venter, J. Craig
J. Craig Venter was an American geneticist, biochemist, and businessman who pioneered new techniques in genetics......
Vogelstein, Bert
Bert Vogelstein is an American oncologist known for his groundbreaking work on the genetics of cancer. Vogelstein......
Vries, Hugo de
Hugo de Vries was a Dutch botanist and geneticist who introduced the experimental study of organic evolution. His......
Waddington, C.H.
C.H. Waddington was a British embryologist, geneticist, and philosopher of science. Waddington graduated in geology......
Wallace, Alfred Russel
Alfred Russel Wallace was a British humanist, naturalist, geographer, and social critic. He became a public figure......
Watson, James
James Watson was an American geneticist and biophysicist who played a crucial role in the discovery of the molecular......
Weidenreich, Franz
Franz Weidenreich was a German anatomist and physical anthropologist whose reconstruction of prehistoric human......
Weismann, August
August Weismann was a German biologist and one of the founders of the science of genetics. He is best known for......
What Darwin Got Right (and Wrong) About Evolution
British naturalist Charles Darwin is one of the most celebrated people in the biological sciences. One of his principal......
What Is the Difference Between DNA and RNA?
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are complex molecular structures that control all hereditary......
Why are Maine Coon cats so big?
Maine Coons are one of the largest domestic cat breeds and North America’s only native breed of longhaired domestic......
Why are male animals more colorful?
Sexual selection, according to English naturalist Charles Darwin, is an evolutionary process that “depends on the......
Why are most calico cats female?
Most calico cats are female because the genes that determine their distinctive patches of black and orange fur......
Why are orange cats more likely to be male?
The gene that determines whether a cat will have an orange coat of fur is linked to the X chromosome, one of the......
Why do giraffes have long necks?
The long neck of a giraffe (genus Giraffa) is a classic example of adaptation, which is the process by which a......
Wieschaus, Eric F.
Eric F. Wieschaus is an American developmental biologist who shared the 1995 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine,......
Wilberforce, Samuel
Samuel Wilberforce was a British cleric, an Anglican prelate and educator and a defender of orthodoxy, who typified......
Wilmut, Ian
Ian Wilmut was a British developmental biologist who was the first to use nuclear transfer of differentiated adult......
Witkin, Evelyn M.
Evelyn M. Witkin was an American geneticist whose groundbreaking research on mutagenesis (the induction of mutations)......
Woods, Gordon L.
Gordon L. Woods was an American equine reproduction specialist who led research efforts resulting in the generation......
Wright, Sewall
Sewall Wright was an American geneticist, one of the founders of population genetics. He was the brother of the......
Yamanaka, Shinya
Shinya Yamanaka is a Japanese physician and researcher who developed a revolutionary method for generating stem......
Yanagimachi, Ryuzo
Ryuzo Yanagimachi was a Japanese-born American scientist whose team cloned the second live mammal, a mouse, and......
Yanofsky, Charles
Charles Yanofsky was an American geneticist who demonstrated the colinearity of gene and protein structures. Yanofsky......
Young, Michael W.
Michael W. Young is an American geneticist who contributed to the discovery of molecular mechanisms that regulate......