Theodosius Dobzhansky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Theodosius Dobzhansky
|
|
|---|---|
Dobzhansky in 1966
|
|
| Born |
Theodosius Grigorievich Dobzhansky
January 25, 1900 Nemirov, Russian Empire
|
| Died | December 18, 1975 (aged 75) |
| Alma mater | University of Kiev |
| Known for | Bateson–Dobzhansky–Muller model |
| Spouse(s) |
Natalia Sivertzeva
(m. 1924) |
| Parents |
|
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Evolutionary biology, genetics |
| Institutions | University of Kiev (1921-1924) University of Leningrad (1924-1927) Columbia University (1927-1928, 1940-1962) California Institute of Technology (1928-1940) Rockefeller University (1962-1970) University of California, Davis (1971-1975) |
| Doctoral advisor | Yuri Filipchenko |
| Doctoral students | Bruce Wallace |
| Influences | Thomas Hunt Morgan, Alfred Sturtevant |
Theodosius Grigorievich Dobzhansky (Russian: Феодо́сий Григо́рьевич Добржа́нский; Ukrainian: Теодо́сій Григо́рович Добржа́нський; January 25, 1900 – December 18, 1975) was a very important Russian and American scientist. He was a geneticist, studying how traits are passed down, and an evolutionary biologist, studying how living things change over time.
Dobzhansky was a key person in developing the modern synthesis of evolution. This idea combines Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection with Gregor Mendel's discoveries about genetics. He was born in the Russian Empire and moved to the United States in 1927 when he was 27 years old. His 1937 book, Genetics and the Origin of Species, was very important for the modern synthesis. He received major awards, including the U.S. National Medal of Science in 1964.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Education
Theodosius Dobzhansky was born on January 25, 1900, in Nemyriv, which was then part of the Russian Empire. He was the only child of Grigory Dobzhansky, a math teacher, and Sophia Voinarsky. His family moved to Kiev in 1910.
When he was in high school, Dobzhansky enjoyed collecting butterflies. He decided he wanted to become a biologist. Later, a friend named Victor Luchnik convinced him to focus on studying beetles instead.
Dobzhansky studied at the University of Kiev from 1917 to 1924. He specialized in entomology, which is the study of insects. After that, he moved to Saint Petersburg to study with Yuri Filipchenko. There, he worked in a laboratory that studied Drosophila melanogaster, also known as fruit flies.
On August 8, 1924, Dobzhansky married Natalia "Natasha" Sivertzeva, who was also a geneticist. They had one daughter, Sophie Coe, who became an anthropologist and food historian. Before moving to the United States, Dobzhansky published 35 scientific papers.
Moving to America and Key Discoveries
In 1927, Dobzhansky moved to the United States with a scholarship. He joined the Drosophila Group at Columbia University in New York City. He worked with famous scientists like Thomas Hunt Morgan and Alfred Sturtevant. Their research helped us understand how chromosomes work in fruit flies.
Dobzhansky and his team also helped make Drosophila pseudoobscura a popular model for studying evolution. A model organism is a species that scientists study closely to understand biological processes.
Dobzhansky's early ideas were influenced by his teacher, Yuri Filipchenko. Filipchenko thought that small changes within a species (microevolution) were different from big changes that create new species (macroevolution). Dobzhansky later realized that these two types of changes are connected.
He then moved to the California Institute of Technology from 1930 to 1940. During this time, he showed that differences in tiny microbes living inside organisms could prevent them from reproducing together. This is called reproductive isolation.
Genetics and the Origin of Species
In 1937, Dobzhansky published his very important book, Genetics and the Origin of Species. This book helped combine the ideas of evolutionary biology with genetics. It was a key part of the modern evolutionary synthesis. In the book, he defined evolution as "a change in the frequency of an allele within a gene pool". An allele is a version of a gene, and a gene pool is all the genes in a population.
Dobzhansky's work showed that natural selection happens because of changes, or mutations, in genes. In 1937, he also became a citizen of the United States.
He returned to Columbia University from 1940 to 1962. One of his students there was the geneticist Bruce Wallace. Dobzhansky received many awards and honors during his career. He was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society in 1965.
Dobzhansky's research allowed him to travel the world. He received honorary degrees from universities in many countries, including Australia, Japan, and Germany.
Impact of His Book
Theodosius Dobzhansky published three versions of his book Genetics and the Origin of Species. Even though it was written for biologists, it was easy to understand. It is considered one of the most important books ever written in genetics and evolution.
With each new version, Dobzhansky added the latest research and removed older information. His book encouraged new ways of thinking and research in genetics.
The first version (1937) showed how new discoveries in genetics fit with the idea of evolution. It explained how changes in genes and chromosomes lead to differences between groups and species. Dobzhansky described evolution happening at three levels:
- New genetic material appears through mutations.
- Populations change as gene frequencies shift.
- New species form when groups become reproductively isolated.
The second version (1941) added more research, especially on how species evolve and adapt. The third version (1951) was completely rewritten. It included new information on topics like Adaptive Polymorphism, which showed how natural selection works in real populations.
Views on Human Differences
Theodosius Dobzhansky had many discussions with another scientist, Ashley Montagu, about the word "race." Montagu believed the word "race" had too many negative meanings and should not be used in science. Dobzhansky argued that the idea of "races" in animals and plants was useful in biology. He hoped that by explaining human differences through population genetics, it would help reduce unfair social ideas about "race."
Dobzhansky was concerned about unfair treatment based on perceived differences. He believed that human nature has two parts: a biological part, which we share with other living things, and a cultural part, which is unique to humans. He wanted to stop the false idea that a person's genetic makeup determines their worth or place in society. He believed that humans have a special chance to guide their own evolution.
Later Life and Legacy
Dobzhansky's wife, Natasha, passed away in 1969. In 1968, Theodosius was diagnosed with a type of leukemia. He retired in 1971 and moved to the University of California, Davis. There, he continued to work as a professor.
In 1973, he published one of his most famous essays, "Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution". This essay highlights the importance of evolution for understanding all of biology.
His health worsened in 1975. Theodosius Dobzhansky died on December 18, 1975, in Davis, California, from heart failure. He was cremated, and his ashes were spread in the California wilderness.
Evolution and Belief
Theodosius Dobzhansky believed that God and science could work together. He thought that a Creator could have used the process of evolution to bring about life. He famously said, "Evolution is God's, or Nature's, method of Creation."
See also
In Spanish: Theodosius Dobzhansky para niños
