Genetic inheritance is the combination of cellular processes that result in the transmission of genetic traits from parent to offspring. Genes are the basic unit of inheritance that act as blueprints for these traits and are found in pairs known as alleles. Types of inheritance vary depending on whether genes are located on sex chromosomes or autosomes and whether genes are dominant or recessive. Identifying inheritance patterns allows scientists to predict the probability that a child will inherit a certain characteristic such as brown eyes, color blindness, or cystic fibrosis.

One of the first theories to describe how characteristics are inherited was the blending theory. The blending theory postulated that offspring express blended characteristics from both parents. For example, two animals that breed, one with white fur and the other with black fur, would be expected to produce offspring with gray fur. However, this theory failed to explain...