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Maria Sibylla Merian

Born: 1647
Died: 1717
Occupation: Entomologist

Maria was a German-born naturalist and scientific illustrator. Merian discovered facts about plants and insects that were not previously known.

Team Remarkablz are working hard to draw me as science superhero, until they do, you can learn a bit more about who I was in this fact-file!

The knowledge she collected over decades provided valuable information into medicine and science. She was the first to bring together information on the habitats of insects, the food they ate and how they developed.

Merian travelled for years, creating life-size paintings of familiar insects, and in 1699 she sailed with her daughter nearly to South America to study insects in Suriname. She published a very important book that pulled together all of her findings: "Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium."

A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics. Geneticists study genes and the science of heredity (inherited traits passed down through generations). They study human beings, animals, plants and even bacteria.

Video credit: careergirls

Barbara discovered the colour variation in corn comes from transposons, or so-called "jumping genes". These stretches of DNA jump out of their original spot in the genome and then place themselves in another, random spot. By moving they may disrupt the activities of nearby genes, including pigment genes. The jumping patterns are different in every cell and this explains the colour variability that Barbara saw in the corn.

Barbara studied corn for 26 years. She gathered data on different types of corn in Central and South America.

Hank and his brother John discuss heredity via the gross example of relative ear wax moistness.

Each father and mother pass down traits to their children, who inherit combinations of their dominant or recessive alleles. But how do we know so much about genetics today?

Video credit: CrashCourse

Video credit:TedEd

When Barbara went to Cornell University, women weren't allowed to major in genetics. Barbara earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in botany.

Fun facts

What is DNA? Check out this video and find out more.

Video credit: Peekaboo Kidz

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