most revolutionizing scientists in history, was the British naturalist who formulated the theory of evolution. Pre-Darwin, it was thought that each species of life on earth came individually and that none had ever changed its form. He confuted this notion and demonstrated from his research that evolution is the law of nature and all living things on earth have descended from common ancestors who lived millions of years ago. He proved that animals and plants have evolved in an orderly manner and keep on evolving even today.
Contributions and Achievements: Darwin got his big break in 1831. A naturalist was needed to travel along on a scientific expedition a voyage around the world in the brigantine HMBS Beagle under the supervision of Captain Fits Roy. Luckily, some of his Cambridge fellows also recommended him for the place. The voyage took around five years. Throughout this voyage, Darwin collected bones of extinct animals. He was curious about the relationship between the extinct animals and the existing ones. The unusual marine iguana, the tortoises and the finches on the Galapagos Islands in the pacific made him perplexed, since similar, yet rather distinct, forms of the same animals were found on separate islands. These observations led to his legendary ideas on evolution. After the return, Darwin moved to London for a while and compiled an account of his travels. Darwin got married to his cousin Emma Wedgowood in 1839. The coupled moved to Downe House in Kent in 1844. There, Darwin got a letter from the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who had made similar observations about evolution separately. A collaborative report by Darwin and Wallace was published in 1858. Darwin publicized the theory of evolution in his famous book, The Origin of Species by Natural Selection, in 1859. The book, which asserted that all the varied forms of life on earth could, in the course of time, have evolved from a common ancestry, was a huge success. Darwin also commented that in the struggle for life, only the fittest creatures would survive while others fail. The book became controversial due to its conflict with the religious belief about the creation of the world. However, in later years, it was embraced by all biologists. Darwins another book, The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication, came out in 1868. It is considered to be his second most significant work. The book maintains that man, by selective breeding, could make rather different breeds of pigeons, dogs, and some species of plants also. His work also included The Various Contrivances by which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, Insectivorous Plants, The Power of Movement in Plants, Descent of Man, and The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms.
An Austrian biochemist and author, Erwin Chargaff is best known for Chargaffs Rules which lead to the discovery of DNAs double helix structure. He was born in Bukowina, Austria- Hungary, but today, his birthplace is referred to as Chernivtsi, Ukraine. He became an American citizen in the year 1940, and emigrated to the U.S. during the time when the Nazis were still very much active, and it was in the U.S. where he was able to come up with the discovery of thymine and adenine amounts in DNA were about the same as the amount of guanine and cystosine. This is now known as the third Chargaff rule and along with two others, more about the DNA has been known because of the biochemists work. Scientific Contributions and Recognitions Chargaff was able to publish several scientific papers which primarily dealt with studies concerning nucleic acids like DNA. He used chromatographic techniques in his studies, and his interest in DNA started after the identification of this molecule as the main basis of heredity. It was in 1944 when Oswald Avery had made that discovery and this had prompted Chargaff to make studies of his own. His studies which lead to the development of the famous Chargaffs Rules took long, and it was in 1950 when he was able to make the crucial elements which lead to the formation of his rules which are as follows: First, that the number of adenine or A residues are always equal to the number of thymine or T residues; Second, that the number of guanine or G residues are always equal to the number of cytosine or C residues; And third, that the number of purines or A and G combined and the number of pyrimidines or T and C combined are always equal to each other (which is an obvious consequence of the first two rules). Chargaff had also determined that the same findings hold true even if the ratio of pyrimidines and purines may differ from one kind of living organism to another. When combined with the findings of Rosalind Franklin about the diffraction studies on DNA, it was also determined how base-paring between A and T as well as G and C is what is behind the double -helix structure of the DNA and that no other combinations of these residues are possible. He explained the same findings to Francis Crick and James Watson who were then the ones who enlightened the world about the double-helix DNA structure. Chargaffs research had been the springboard of many biology and heredity studies. However, his studies were not limited to DNA-related concerns. He also studied lipids, plant nucleotides, inositol and amino acid metabolism, and about the enzymes responsible for blood coagulation. Despite not being credited for the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA which won a Nobel Prize, Chargaff had many other achievements such as the Pasteur Medal in 1949, Carl Neuberg Medal in 1958, Charles Leopold Mayer Prize in 1963, Heineken Prize in 1964, and the Gregor Mendel Medal in 1973 among others. Both he and his wife Vera Broido Chargaff died in New York. He lived alone for a few years in his parkside apartment, and on the 20 th of June in 2002, he died in a New York hospital at the age of 96.
Si Amado Vera Hernndez (13 Setyembre 1903 24 Marso 1970) ay isang makata at manunulat sa wikang Tagalog. Kilala rin siya bilang "Manunulat ng mga Manggagawa", sapagkat isa siyang pinuno ng mga Pilipinong manggagawa at sa kaniyang mga pagpuna at pagsusuri sa mga kawalan ng katarungang naganap sa Pilipinas noong kaniyang kapanahunan. Nakulong siya dahil sa pakikipagugnayan niya sa mga kilusang makakomunista. Siya ang punong tauhan sa isang bukod-tanging kasong panghukuman na tumagal ng 13 taon bago nagwakas. Bilang Manunulat Noong kaniyang kabinataan, nagsimula na siyang magsulat sa wikang Tagalog para sa pahayagang Watawat (Flag). Nang lumaon ay nagsulat siya ng para sa mga Pagkakaisa at naging patnugot ng Mabuhay. Napukaw ng kaniyang mga sulatin ang pansin ng mga dalubhasa sa wikang Tagalog at ilan sa kaniyang mga salaysayin at tula ay napabilang sa mga antolohiya, katulad ng Parolang Ginto ni Clodualdo del Mundo at ngTalaang Bughaw ni Alejandro Abadilla. Noong 1922, sa gulang na 19, naging kabahagi si Hernandez ng samahan pampanitikan na Aklatang Bayan na kinabibilang ng mga kilalang manunulat sa Tagalog na sina Lope K. Santos at Jose Corazon de Jesus. Sinalaysay ni Hernandez sa kanyang mga akda ang pakikipagsapalaran at pakikibaka ng mga manggagawang Pilipino. Minsan siyang napiit dahil sa salang sedisyon, at habang nasa loob ng kulungan, naisulat niya ang "Isang Dipang Langit", ang isa sa mga mahahalaga niyang tula. Nakilala rin si Hernandez sa kanyang mga nobelang gaya ng "Ang Ibong Mandaragit", at "Luha ng Buwaya". Ang ilan sa kanyang maikling kuwento ay natipon sa isang tomo na pinamagatang "Langaw sa Isang Basong Tubig at Ibang Kuwento". Nagturo din siya sa Pamantasan ng Pilipinas. Kakikitaan ng diwang makabayan ang marami niyang tula at nobela: lantad sa mga ito ang makatarungang poot sa pagiging tila isang kolonya ng Estados Unidos ang kaniyang bansang Pilipinas. Naipakulong siya ni Elpidio Quirino dahil sa bintang na pagiging mapanghimagsik.
Si Lope K. Santos ay isa sa mga dakilang manunulat sa wikang Tagalog. Siya ay nobelista, makata, abogado, kritiko, lider obrero, at itinuturing na Ama ng Pambansang Wika at Balarila. Si Santos ay isinilang sa Pasig, dating sakop ng Rizal, noong 25 Setyembre 1879. Namatay si Santos noong 1 Mayo 1963. Si Santos ay supling nina Ladislao Santos na tubong Pasig at Victoria Canseco na tubong San Mateo, Rizal. Noong 10 Pebrero 1900, ikinasal si L.K. Santos kay Simeona Salazar na nagbigay sa kaniya ng limang supling. Mga Akda Kabilang sa mga akda ni Santos ang Ang Pangginggera at Banaag at Sikat na pawang inilathalang muli ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Press para sa bagong henerasyon ng mambabasa. Ang kaniyang mga tula, nobela, kuwento, sanaysay, at kritika ay lumabas din sa mga pahayagan at magasing pinamatnugutan niya, gaya ng Muling Pagsilang, Ang Mithi, Lipang Kalabaw, at Sampaguita. Naging manunulat si L.K. Santos sa Renacimiento Filipino na pumalit sa dating El Renacimiento na wikang Espanyol ang ginagamit. Ang kaniyang Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa, na kauna-unahang aklat hinggil sa wikang Tagalog na sinulat ng isang manunulat na Tagalog, ay naging sanggunian ng mga pag-aaral at pagpapaunlad ng wikang Filipino.