Genetics

Do you have sparkly eyes like your grandpa. Or maybe you have the same curly hair as your mommy. That’s me. I am a secret instruction book hidden inside every living thing. I tell a puppy how to get its floppy ears and a flower what color its petals should be. I decide if you'll be tall, what your smile looks like, and why you have cute little freckles. I am the special recipe that makes you, you. My name is Genetics.

For a long, long time, I was a big secret. People saw that baby animals looked like their parents, but they didn't know why. It was a wonderful puzzle. Then, a very patient man named Gregor Mendel wanted to find the answer. In his garden, starting around the year 1856, he grew lots and lots of pea plants. He noticed that tall pea plants often had tall baby plants, and plants with purple flowers had baby plants with purple flowers. He watched them for years and years and realized there were rules. He was the first person to understand my patterns and how I pass these instructions along from parents to babies.

Because of Gregor Mendel, people started to understand me. Now we know I am in every part of you, from your head to your toes. I am the reason you are a one-of-a-kind mix of your family. You are a special part of your family's story, and I am the one who carries that story inside of you. So next time you see your smile in the mirror, remember me, Genetics, and the amazing family story that makes you so special.