Gregor Johann Mendel's 189th Birthday Gets A Google Logo Made Of Peas

On July 20, Google doffs its cap to the 189th birthday of Gregor Johann Mendel.

Often called the father of genetics, Mendel is most famous for his study of the inherited traits passed down by pea plants. A new Google Doodle, spelling out the company logo in pea pods, honors Mendel's contribution to biology.

Born in 1822 in Hungary, Mendel entered the order of Augustinian monks and studied at the University of Vienna.

The Washington Post describes Mendel's famed study of peas:

Testing tens of thousands of pea plants, Mendel studied the patterns of dominant, recessive and hybrid traits. His laws of segregation and independent assortment eventually bathed the gardener in branding glory, as they became better known decades after his death as Mendel's "laws of inheritance."

According to the National Health Museum, he also studied meteorology and evolution.

Visit the Google homepage to view Mendel's doodle, or check out a screenshot (below).

LOOK:

Comments

[worldb]

02:27 PM on 07/20/2011

I thought they were co signing the Pres... eat your peas liL b**ches!

[Phonosome]

10:46 AM on 07/20/2011

It just so happens that I released an iPhone App yesterday called Phonosome that actually applies Mendel's Law to a few real human genetic traits e.g eye colour, hair etc. It is a fun, educational app that demonstrates genetics by letting your iPhones breed wirelessly. The aim is to teach Mendel's Law in a more enjoyable way. After all how fun is it to have your phone breed (http://tinyurl.com/3oa9gde)

I apologies if this seems like blatant marketing but it is a cool coincidence.

[rayinprague]

08:56 AM on 07/20/2011

Mendel was born in Hynčice in what is now the Czech Republic. At no time in history was this a part of Hungary. It was in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but definitely in the Austrian sphere. He did most of his research in the Moravia section of the Czech Republic.