Throughout history, people have turned to mythology, folklore and religion for explanations of life's origins, and to this day, there are many who firmly believe what has been written in religious books and passed down from generation to generation. With the advent of the Age of Reason in the 18 century and scientific advances in the 19 century, however, the quest for deeper knowledge could be satisfied by digging for empirical evidence and putting it to empirical test. In 1865, Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk who had been experimenting for eight years with garden peas, announced to the scientific community that specific characteristics, or traits, were transmitted from parent to offspring in an organized and predictable manner. Along with Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection and evolution, as stated in his 1859 publication, 'On the Origin of Species'. Mendel's work set the stage for the science of genetics to become the prominent explanation of where life comes from. With the help of improved microscopes, scientists discovered the existence and structure of cells containing chromosomes. In the early 1900s, experiments with fruit flies revealed that chromosomes located in the cell's nucleus were made of genes. The Drosophila, commonly called fruit fly, was the first living organism to be genetically mapped. In 1944, Oswald Avery identified genes in bacteria as genetic messengers made of DNA. In 1953, th th10 2) James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double-helix structure of DNA, for which they received the Nobel Prize nine years later. With each ground breaking discovery, molecular biologists were able to form an even clearer picture of the mechanics of life. To crack the code of life, prominent scientists proposed compiling a comprehensive genetic map of a human being.
What is the meaning of 'empirical evidence'?
