Question

Which foundational concepts in biology were merged in the modern synthesis?

A. Darwin's theory of evolution and Mendel's ideas of heritability
B. Darwin's theory of evolution and Chargaff's rules of base pairing
C. Darwin's theory of evolution and Watson's and Crick's structure of DNA
D. Darwin's theory of evolution and Hershey's and Chase's proof of DNA as genetic material

Answer 1

The answer would be A because The Modern Synthesis describes the fusion (merger) of Mendelian genetics with Darwinian evolution that resulted in a unified theory of evolution.

Answer 2

A. Darwin's theory of evolution and Mendel's ideas of heritability

Step-by-step explanation:

Modern synthesis is the theory of evolution that combines Darwin's theory of natural selection and principles of Mendelian inheritance. This was done to explain the origin of variations among individuals in the population as proposed by Darwin. Darwin could not explain how variations were created and how these variations were transmitted to future generations. Mendel's laws of inheritance provided an explanation of the basis of the origin of variations and mode of their transmission.

This is how modern synthesis came into existence.