PRELIMS

Biological Inventions and Superlatives

Human progress in biology is marked by key inventions in vaccination, diagnostics, and structural biology.

I. Major Biological Inventions

• Vaccine of Small Pox: Edward Jenner
• Penicillin: Alexander Fleming
• DNA Structure (Double Helix): Watson and Crick (1953, using X-ray data from Rosalind Franklin/Maurice Wilkins).
• Insulin: Banting (with Best), 1921.
• Bacteria: Leeuwenhoek (Father of Microbiology).
• Blood Groups: Karl Landsteiner.
• Rh Factor: Landsteiner and Wiener.
• Heart Transplantation: Christian Barnard (1967, first human-to-human transplant).
• Homoeopathy: Hahnemann.
• Malaria treatment/carrier: Ronald Ross (confirmed mosquito as malaria vector, 1897).
• First Test Tube Baby: Edwards and Steptoe (Louise Brown, 1978).
• Electrocardiograph (ECG): Einthoven.
• BCG Vaccine: Guerin and Calmette.
• Polio Vaccine (inactivated/injectable): Jonas E. Salk.
• Polio Vaccine (oral, live-attenuated): Albert Sabin.
• Cell (discovery): Robert Hooke (1665).
• Vaccination (concept): Edward Jenner (Smallpox, 1796).

II. Biological Superlatives (Records)

• Largest & Heaviest Mammal: Blue Whale.
• Largest Land Mammal: African Elephant.
• Largest Living Reptile: Sea Turtle (Tortoise).
• Largest Living Bird: Ostrich.
• Largest Snake: Python.
• Largest Monkey: Gorilla.
• Smallest Bird: Hummingbird.
• Smallest Mammal: Shrew.
• Fastest Animal: Cheetah (Panther).
• Fastest Flying Bird: Spine-tailed Swift.
• Egg-laying Mammal: Echidna and Duck-billed Platypus (Monotremes).

III. Foundational Landmarks

1. Vaccination: Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine (Smallpox).
2. Antibiotics: Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic (Penicillin) from fungus.
3. Hormones: Banting discovered Insulin for diabetes management.
4. Microbiology: Leeuwenhoek is known as the Father of Microbiology for discovering bacteria.

UPSC Relevance

Historical landmarks in biology are essential for tracing scientific evolution in Science & Technology.

• Discovery Timelines: Knowing that Landsteiner discovered blood groups and Landsteiner/Wiener discovered the Rh factor.
• Genetic Structure: Recalling Watson and Crick for the double helix DNA structure.
• Medical Firsts: The importance of Christian Barnard for heart transplants and Jonas Salk for polio eradication.
• Confused Pair — Salk vs Sabin Polio Vaccine: Salk = Injectable/Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV); Sabin = Oral/Live-attenuated Polio Vaccine (OPV, used in India's Pulse Polio programme).
• Recent Development: India's indigenous Oxford-AstraZeneca (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) vaccines were developed/manufactured during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-21); Bharat Biotech's Covaxin used a whole-virion inactivated platform, relevant for "vaccine platform types" questions in recent Prelims.