One of the most important advancements in the 20th century was the identification of the structure of the DNA molecule.

However, that discovery didn't appear out of nowhere.

It was part of a century long process that included many advancements in biology, chemistry, and physics.

And while solving the secret of the DNA molecule was a major accomplishment, it wasn't without

controversy.

Learn more about the discovery of DNA and how its structure was solved on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Book your ticket to happiness with Sun Express Airlines. It is hard to stress just how important DNA is.

DNA stands for deoxy ribonucleic acid,

and it's the foundation of all life as we know it. You have DNA, your pets have DNA,

trees have DNA, amoebas have DNA, and so do viruses.

DNA literally defines what life is on earth.

Analyzing DNA has been used to diagnose illnesses, solve crimes, and create new drugs.

The discovery of DNA and how it functions is one of the most important scientific discoveries of all time.

Yet it wasn't discovered in an aha moment.

It was a process that spanned over a century

and in some respects is still going on today. There were two discoveries made in

the 19th century that seemed to have nothing to do with each other at the time, but it later

turned out that they were intimately related.

The first discovery is one you might have heard of.

It was made by an Austrian monk named Grigor Mendel. He conducted experiments with

pea plants at his Abbey in Bruno in what is today the Czech Republic. For centuries

humans have known that certain physical traits can be passed from one generation to the next,

whether it's in humans, animals, or crops.

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