August Weismann

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August Weismann

German biologist

Also known as: August Friedrich Leopold Weismann

Written by Geoffrey H. Beale

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Nov 1, 2024 • Article History

Quick Facts

In full:: August Friedrich Leopold Weismann

Born:: January 17, 1834, Frankfurt am Main

Died:: November 5, 1914, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (aged 80)

Subjects Of Study:: Darwinism; evolution; germ plasm; heredity

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August Weismann (born January 17, 1834, Frankfurt am Main—died November 5, 1914, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany) was a German biologist and one of the founders of the science of genetics. He is best known for his opposition to the doctrine of the inheritance of acquired traits and for his “germ plasm” theory, the forerunner of DNA theory. From early boyhood, when he made expeditions into the surrounding countryside to collect insects and plants, Weismann showed an intense interest in natural history. From 1852 until 1856 he was a student of medicine at the University of Göttingen, after which he briefly ...(100 of 789 words)

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