[[File:Gregor_Mendel.jpg|right|thumb|[[Gregor Mendel]], the Father of Genetics]]
'''Particulate inheritance''' is a pattern of inheritance discovered by [[Mendelian genetics]] theorists, (orsuch byas [[William Bateson]], [[Ronald Fisher]] or [[Gregor Mendel]] himself), showing that characteristics[[phenotypic trait]]s can be passed from generation to generation through "discrete particles" (now known as [[genes]])., These particleswhich can keep their ability to be expressed while not always appearing in a descending generation.<ref>[http://www.webref.org/anthropology/p/particulate_theory_of_inheritanc.htm "Particulate theory of inheritance"], WebRef</ref>
== Scientific developments leading up to the theory ==
