1834-1914. German biologist. His failing
eyesight forced him to turn from microscopy
to theoretical work. In 1892 he proposed that
changes to the body do not in turn cause an
alteration of the genetic material. This
`central dogma' of biology remains of vital
importance to biologists supporting the
Darwinian theory of evolution. If the genetic
material can be altered only by chance
mutation and recombination, then the
Lamarckian view that acquired bodily changes
can subsequently be inherited becomes
obsolete.