Mendelian inheritance is a way to understand how traits are passed down, but it makes things too simple. It thinks traits come from just one gene, but that’s not always true. Here’s why:
Many Genes Matter: Some traits, like how tall you are, don't just come from one gene. They come from lots of genes working together. This makes it hard to guess what someone's height will be.
Outside Factors Count: Things like what you eat and where you live also play a big role. These environmental factors mix in with genetics and can change how traits show up.
Mixing Traits: Sometimes, traits can blend in surprising ways. This means that what you see on the outside (like eye color) might not follow the usual rules we expect.
To get a better handle on all these complex traits, scientists use special tools. They look at lots of genetic data and use something called genome-wide association studies (GWAS). This helps them understand how traits are really passed down in a more accurate way.
Mendelian inheritance is a way to understand how traits are passed down, but it makes things too simple. It thinks traits come from just one gene, but that’s not always true. Here’s why:
Many Genes Matter: Some traits, like how tall you are, don't just come from one gene. They come from lots of genes working together. This makes it hard to guess what someone's height will be.
Outside Factors Count: Things like what you eat and where you live also play a big role. These environmental factors mix in with genetics and can change how traits show up.
Mixing Traits: Sometimes, traits can blend in surprising ways. This means that what you see on the outside (like eye color) might not follow the usual rules we expect.
To get a better handle on all these complex traits, scientists use special tools. They look at lots of genetic data and use something called genome-wide association studies (GWAS). This helps them understand how traits are really passed down in a more accurate way.