Question

Spontaneous generation or Abiogenesis was disproved by

• A. Antony van Leeuwenhoek
• B. Aristotle
• C. Louis Pasteur
• D. Ferdinand Cohn

Hint:

• Spontaneous generation: The outdated theory that living organisms can arise directly from non-living matter.
• Biogenesis: The principle that all living things come from pre-existing living things.
• Louis Pasteur's swan-neck flask experiments were a landmark in disproving spontaneous generation and establishing biogenesis for microorganisms.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The theory of spontaneous generation (abiogenesis in its old sense, meaning life arising from non-living matter) proposed that living organisms could arise spontaneously from non-living matter. This idea was prevalent for centuries. Louis Pasteur conducted a series of definitive experiments in the mid-19th century (most famously his swan-neck flask experiments) that conclusively disproved the theory of spontaneous generation for microorganisms. He demonstrated that microorganisms are present in the air and can cause contamination and growth in nutrient broths, but if the broths are sterilized and protected from airborne microorganisms, no growth occurs. This supported the principle of biogenesis ("life from life"). Other scientists mentioned:

• Antony van Leeuwenhoek: Known as the "Father of Microbiology," he was one of the first to observe and describe microorganisms using his handcrafted microscopes. His observations were crucial but did not directly disprove spontaneous generation.
• Aristotle: An ancient Greek philosopher who was a proponent of the theory of spontaneous generation.
• Ferdinand Cohn: A prominent bacteriologist who made significant contributions to microbiology, including work on bacterial spores and classification, but Pasteur's experiments are most directly credited with disproving spontaneous generation.

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