William C. Boyd
Encyclopedia
William Clouser Boyd was an American immunochemist, who with his wife Lyle, during the 1930s, made a worldwide survey of the distribution of blood type
s. Born in Dearborn, Missouri
, he discovered that blood groups are inherited and not influenced by environment. By genetic analysis of blood groups he hypothesised that human races are populations that differ by allele
s. On that basis, he divided the world population into 13 geographically distinct races with different blood group gene profiles. Boyd co-wrote the book Races and People with Isaac Asimov
.
Later, Boyd discovered lectin
s in plants. He also studied the blood groups of mummies
.
Boyd also wrote and published several science fiction short stories in collaboration with Lyle G. Boyd under the name "Boyd Ellanbee" (obviously standing for "Boyd, L and B", for Lyle and Bill).
Blood type
A blood type is a classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells . These antigens may be proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, or glycolipids, depending on the blood group system...
s. Born in Dearborn, Missouri
Dearborn, Missouri
Dearborn is a city in Buchanan and Platte counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 529 at the 2000 census.The Platte County portion of Dearborn is part of the Kansas City, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Buchanan County portion is part of the St...
, he discovered that blood groups are inherited and not influenced by environment. By genetic analysis of blood groups he hypothesised that human races are populations that differ by allele
Allele
An allele is one of two or more forms of a gene or a genetic locus . "Allel" is an abbreviation of allelomorph. Sometimes, different alleles can result in different observable phenotypic traits, such as different pigmentation...
s. On that basis, he divided the world population into 13 geographically distinct races with different blood group gene profiles. Boyd co-wrote the book Races and People with Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
.
Later, Boyd discovered lectin
Lectin
Lectins are sugar-binding proteins that are highly specific for their sugar moieties. They play a role in biological recognition phenomena involving cells and proteins. For example, some viruses use lectins to attach themselves to the cells of the host organism during infection...
s in plants. He also studied the blood groups of mummies
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
.
Boyd also wrote and published several science fiction short stories in collaboration with Lyle G. Boyd under the name "Boyd Ellanbee" (obviously standing for "Boyd, L and B", for Lyle and Bill).
Selected bibliography
- Races and People, by Isaac Asimov and William C Boyd, 1958.
- Genetics and the races of man: An introduction to modern physical anthropology, William C Boyd, 1950.