Are you tall? Have red hair? Love to eat steak? Allergic to pickles? Almost everything about you was written into your genetic code when you were created—and maybe even before. Geneticists are able to help you figure this stuff out. They're scientists who study human genes, and they can tell you why you are why you are, and make predictions about what you will likely become. They can help doctors diagnose and treat you for illnesses that may run in your family. And they might share their research with other scientists through essays and lectures. Genetics is a very cool and evolving scientific field, and if you're fascinated by all the quirks and wonders of human beings, then you may want to be a part of it.
The Details
By being able to determine if people are predisposed to certain types of disease (like cancer), geneticists can help people avoid a disease—or at least more strongly fight by getting diagnosed earlier.
The man known as the "father of genetics" was Gregor Mendel, a scientist and Catholic priest who got his nickname from studying genetic traits in green peas.
