Gregor Mendel

Born Johann Mendel, he would later take the name Gregor upon entering the Augustinian St. Thomas's Abbey in Brno, Moravia. There, he tended the monastery garden and, crucially, decided to get intimate with some peas. Lots and lots of peas.

Through meticulous experimentation, cross-pollinating thousands of pea plants and observing their offspring, Mendel discovered the fundamental laws of inheritance. He established the concepts of dominant and recessive traits, showing how these characteristics are passed from one generation to the next, often in predictable ratios. His work was published in 1866, but, much like a recessive gene, it lay dormant for decades.

It wasn't until the early 20th century, long after his death, that his groundbreaking research was rediscovered and recognized for its immense significance. Today, Mendel is celebrated as the "father of modern genetics," a title he earned by proving that sometimes, you just need to get your hands dirty in the garden to change the world. And to think, all without a single bar mitzvah.