Punnett Square

The Punnett square is a delightful tool used in genetics to determine the possible outcomes of a cross between two organisms. It’s named after the British geneticist Reginald Punnett, who had a healthy sense of humor - we can only assume.

Imagine you have two rabbits. One is named Bugs and the other Daffy. You want to know what traits their offspring might have, so you turn to the trusty Punnett square.

In the top row of the square, you write the possible traits that Bugs may contribute to their offspring - let’s say brown fur and long ears. In the left column, you write the possible traits that Daffy may contribute - maybe black fur and short ears.

Now, you simply fill in the boxes with the possible combinations of these traits. And voila! You have a magical chart that tells you that Bugs and Daffy’s offspring could have brown fur and long ears, black fur and long ears, brown fur and short ears, or black fur and short ears.

Now, this may seem like a lot of work just to predict what a couple of rabbits might look like, but Punnett squares have proven useful in predicting traits in a range of organisms, from peas to poodles. So the next time you’re wondering what traits your (hypothetical) kids might inherit, turn to the trusty Punnett square - and pray they don’t inherit your sense of humor! 😂