In 1928, an English researcher named Fred Griffith noticed one strain of pneumonia bacteria could permanently transform into another strain…

In 1928, Fred Griffith watched harmless pneumonia bacteria pick up lethal traits from the dead remains of a virulent strain — and pass those traits on. Sixteen years later, Oswald Avery's team at Rockefeller finally named the substance responsible: DNA.

By The Artful Age Editorial Team · Sep 7, 2026