Genetics with Gregor Mendel： UntamedScience #11

Each of these lorikeets is full of genes, the molecular building blocks of their traits. Now at first glance, these birds might look pretty similar. But if we look more closely, we can see lots of variation among the birds. Just check out the different colors in their feathers. Understanding variation is the basis for understanding genetics. Research in this area of biology started long before we ever knew what a gene really was. All right, stay close behind. We need to get this story. Mr. Mendel. Oh, hello. I'm glad you could make it. If it's all right with you, we're just going to set up the shot here. Sure. Okay, just make sure you're close. And that concludes our story of the newly freed serfs in Russia. Next in the headlines, reports of serfs of a monk 200 kilometers from Prague who has been growing and experimenting with plants. Now, this may sound like an innocent hobby. But some are saying that this man has taken his hobby to what many consider fanatic proportions. Rumors suggest that this monk has been growing ordinary garden pea plants by the thousands. We'll turn to our reporters in the field to uncover the truth about this man with an extraordinary hobby. Are you there, Hayley? Yes, and hello. We are indeed talking about one man's incredible interest in garden peas. In all shapes and colors, it seems. I'm here with the man of a thousand peas, monk Gregor Mendel. Gregor, tell us about this hobby of yours. Well, it's true. I have been growing pea plants for the past eight years now. But I must confess, it has turned into much more than a hobby. Would you say that it's grown into a bit of a hobby? Yes, yes, I would. Now, I've heard that you've grown over 28,000 pea plants. That's a little excessive. Why so many? Well, I needed that many to make a historical discovery that will change the world. Yes, because pea plants are good for people for health reasons, yes? Heavens, no. My discovery will change the way scientific research is done forever. Uh-huh, uh... Oh, you haven't read my research, have you? I... It's better if I show you. Come, this way. Come. Now, what do you see? Um, pea. You are right. Now, look at this one. Here's a yellow one, there's a green one. Some are smooth, some are wrinkled, yet they are all part of the same species. Now, when I cross-bred the different types, I realized that some traits skipped a generation. And then some also reappeared in later generations. Now, I couldn't accept that this was happening just by chance. So, I first grew plants, making sure that the offspring were always the same. Then I started cross-breeding the different traits to make hybrids. I found that some traits disappeared in some generations, then come back in later generations with predictable patterns that I could calculate mathematically. I called the traits that disappeared in some generations, recessive. While the traits that did not disappear, dominant. I concluded that every trait must be controlled by two predictable elements. Do you understand? This study is telling us that we can predict inheritance traits of everything alive. Yes, you have been looking at a lot of peas. But, granted, a lot of peas, but peas... Yes, peas. Peas. Well, there you have it. Reporting to you from Brune in 1864. Next time, we'll be coming to you from the fronts of the American Civil War. Back to you, Suze. Thank you so much, Mr. Mendel. You're welcome. I should be getting more recognition than Darwin for any of the stuff that I'm doing here. Yes, good luck with that. Gregor Mendel, I will, thank you. Yes. Okay, goodbye. Goodbye. Peas be with you. Thank you, sir. I'll be very peaceful here in my garden. So, Mendel's time sure did come after all. Although he was not alive to get the appreciation that he really deserved. His research was rediscovered in the beginning of the 1900s by European botanists and set off a scientific revolution. So the research on those little garden peas led to the discipline of genetics. And brought about Mendel's principles of inheritance. But you know what? Those little elements that Mendel concluded were controlling our traits? Well, today we know them as genes. Early scientists often experienced hard times getting the importance of their work accepted. But that didn't stop them from asking questions that led to breakthroughs of great importance. And as always, we encourage you to do the same. Because you could hold the answers to tomorrow's discoveries. Gregor Mendel here from 1864, encouraging you to never stop exploring your world. Peas out. Mr. Mendel. Uh, yeah, uh, yes, just a moment. I'll be right there. Mr. Mendel, we're from the Untamed Enquirer. We just have a few questions. A few questions? Yes. Oh, okay. We heard that the data you published is fixed. Where did you say you were from? The Untamed Enquirer. Oh, I have nothing to say to you. Um, you can leave now. Goodbye. Mr. Mendel. I don't want to answer any of your snoopy questions. Goodbye. You just need to know, this is for science, Mr. Mendel. This is private property. No trespassing. Mr. Mendel, just a few questions. No, you should mind your Ps and Qs. There you have it.