Barbara McClintock《玉米田裡的先知：異類遺傳學家麥克林托克》

1984
Triumph of a Naturalist
Stephen Jay Gould (1941~2002 本身就是有名的科普作家；他所評論的，參考：《玉米田裡的先知：異類遺傳學家麥克林托克》)

Barbara McClintock’s discovery of transposable elements in maize was, in retrospect, the beginning of modern molecular genetics. She suffered the fate of many pioneers—incomprehension and bewilderment from most colleagues who could not read her maps of terra incognita. But by tenacity, the blessings of long life, and continuous fruitful activity, she has avoided the maudlin ending of most tales in the annals of exploration, and has lived to savor her triumph in the midst of an active career.

 

Nobel Prize

 

Barbara McClintock's discoveries were so far beyond the understanding of the time that other scientists ignored her work for more than a decade. But she persisted, trusting herself and her evidence. She was awarded the Nobel Prize "for her discovery of mobile genetic elements."

"No two plants are exactly alike. They’re all different, and as a consequence, you have to know that difference. I start with the seedling and I don’t want to leave it. I don’t feel I really know the story if I don’t watch the plant all the way along. So I know every plant in the field. I know them intimately. And I find it a great pleasure to know them." Barbara McClintock studied the mosaic colour patterns of maize at the genetic level. She had noted that the kernel patterns were too unstable, and changed too frequently over the course of several generations, to be considered mutations. What was responsible for this? The answer contradicted prevailing genetic theory. As McClintock observed by studying successive generations of maize plants, instead of being locked into place giving fixed instructions from generation to generation, some genes could move around or “transpose” within chromosomes, switching physical traits on or off according to certain “controlling elements.” Barbara McClintock discovered that genes could "jump" by studying generational mutations in maize. Read more: https://bit.ly/2I9qCxd

pWatch the very moment she received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983.