Barbara McClintock
Thank Science logothank science

Jumping Genes Discovery

McClintock discovered that genes can move to different positions on chromosomes—"jumping genes" or transposons. Initially dismissed, her work showed DNA is dynamic, not static, and explained how organisms quickly adapt and how genetic diversity arises. Her discovery revolutionized genetics and earned her a Nobel Prize, revealing fundamental mechanisms of evolution and gene regulation.

Barbara McClintock

Life ScienceGenetics