On this day in 1822, Gregor Mendel was born. Forty-three years later he would give birth to genetics when he reported his discovery of the laws of inheritance from pea hybridization experiments. It took about forty more years for his work to be rediscovered and applied.
The Finch and Pea is half-named in honor of Mendel’s pea hybridization experiments. The discovery of genetics combined with Darwin’s ideas about evolution form the foundation of modern biology (along with molecular methods from physics – but they do not have a model organism that makes a cool pub-y name).
Happy 189th Birthday, Gregor! You look great.
The Finch and Pea 