When Gregor Mendel died, his scientific papers were largely forgotten and went unnoticed for several decades. Here's what happened to Mendel's papers after his death:
1. Gregor Mendel, an Austrian scientist and monk, conducted groundbreaking experiments on pea plants in the mid-19th century, establishing the foundation of modern genetics.
2. Mendel presented his findings in two scientific papers, "Experiments on Plant Hybridization," which he published in 1865 in the journal Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Brünn (now Brno, Czech Republic).
3. Unfortunately, Mendel's work did not receive significant recognition during his lifetime, and he passed away in 1884.
4. After his death, Mendel's papers were stored among his personal belongings at the monastery where he lived, the Augustinian Abbey of St. Thomas in Brno.
5. It wasn't until the early 20th century, around 1900, that scientists rediscovered Mendel's work.
6. Three scientists—Hugo de Vries, Carl Correns, and Erich von Tschermak—separately and independently recognized the importance of Mendel's experiments and published their own research, referencing Mendel's work.
7. These scientists brought attention to Mendel's previously overlooked papers and their significance in the field of genetics.
8. Mendel's work then gained widespread recognition and is now considered one of the foundations of modern genetics.
In summary, Mendel's papers were initially stored and largely forgotten after his death. It was only in the early 20th century that his work was rediscovered and gained the recognition it deserved.