Thomas Hunt Morgan
A geneticist who established the chromosome theory of heredity through his experiments with fruit flies, demonstrating that genes are located on chromosomes.
Most quoted
"If you want to make a discovery, you have to be willing to look where no one else is looking. Or at something everyone else is ignoring, like a fruit fly."
— from Attributed
"The human condition is one of constant striving and adaptation, and our understanding of heredity helps us to understand our place in the natural world."
— from Unknown
"My advice to young scientists: don't be afraid to make mistakes. That's how you find out what doesn't work, which is almost as important as what does."
— from Attributed
All quotes by Thomas Hunt Morgan (422)
The evidence for the chromosome theory of heredity rests on three main lines of inquiry: the cytological, the genetic, and the experimental.
The genes are arranged in a linear series in the chromosomes.
Crossing over is a reciprocal process, involving the exchange of homologous parts between homologous chromosomes.
The frequency of crossing over between two genes is a measure of the distance between them on the chromosome.
The chromosome maps are linear, and the genes are arranged in a definite order.
The theory of the gene is the most important generalization in biology since the theory of evolution.
The gene is the unit of heredity, the unit of mutation, and the unit of recombination.
The genes are not hypothetical entities, but are as real as the chromosomes themselves.
The study of heredity has been transformed from a descriptive to an experimental science.
The development of an individual is the result of the interaction of its genes with its environment.
The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has proved to be an ideal organism for genetic research.
The discovery of sex-linked inheritance in Drosophila provided the first direct evidence for the chromosome theory.
The white-eyed mutant of Drosophila was the key to unlocking the secrets of heredity.
The work on Drosophila has shown that the laws of heredity are universal, applying to all living organisms.
The future of biology lies in the integration of genetics with other fields, such as embryology and physiology.
Science is not a collection of facts, but a way of thinking.
The most important thing in science is to ask the right questions.
The greatest discovery of all is to know that we know nothing.
The scientific method is nothing more than common sense at its best.
The only way to do great work is to love what you do.
Contemporaries of Thomas Hunt Morgan
Other Biologys born within 50 years of Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866–1945).