Projects in Genetics

Book excerpt: You’ve heard it before: “You look just like your mother.” “You have your uncle’s nose.” Have you ever wondered why? Austrian monk Gregor Mendel did. In the 1860s he became the first to scientifically study how characteristics pass from generation to generation. One hundred years later, James Watson and Francis Crick unraveled the structure of DNA. Genetics research has brought remarkable advances, from cloning to magic-bullet drugs to combat cancer. Learn more about genetics with twelve fun projects to do yourself. You’ll think like a scientist as you extract DNA from strawberries, identify traits passed down from your parents, and even crossbreed Gummi-Bear candies. Explore how tiny molecules inside each cell connect us to all living things on earth!