spontaneous generation
Maggots from meat
Spontaneous generation is the discredited theory that living organisms can arise from nonliving matter—maggots from rotting meat, mice from grain.
The idea persisted from antiquity until Louis Pasteur's experiments in the 1860s demonstrated that life comes only from existing life.
The term now appears mainly in historical discussions of biology.
Hypothetical life-origin mixture
- prebioticNutrient for gut bacteria
- hydrothermal ventsSubmarine volcanic water jets
- self-assemblySpontaneous structural organization
- macromoleculesVery large molecular structures
amino acids · nucleotides · panspermia · replication · chirality · Oparin · deep-sea vents
Greek founder of formal logic
- AristotelianOf ancient systematic philosophy
- ancientVery old indeed
- protoscienceDiscipline awaiting scientific rigor
- naturalismWorldview excluding the supernatural
miasma · Needham · maggots · putrefaction · decay · rotting meat · broth · organic matter
Artificial miniature human
- golemAnimated clay servant
- phoenixSelf-immolating, regenerating bird
- creationismDivine origin doctrine
- animismSpirits inhabit all things
vitalism · alchemy · creation myths · supernatural · divine spark · cosmogony · folklore · legend
Life from inanimate matter
- vitalismNon-physical life principle
- life forceAnimating vital energy
- élan vitalCreative principle driving evolution
- materialismPrioritizing goods over spirit
French scientist's surname
- sterilizationComplete elimination of microbes
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- biogenesisLife originates from life
- germ theoryDisease caused by microorganisms
scientific method · experimentation · control group · disproved · refuted · microbiology · boiling · peer review
primordial soup
Hypothetical life-origin mixture
- prebioticNutrient for gut bacteria
- hydrothermal ventsSubmarine volcanic water jets
- self-assemblySpontaneous structural organization
macromolecules · amino acids · nucleotides · panspermia · replication · chirality · Oparin · deep-sea vents
Aristotle
Greek founder of formal logic
- AristotelianOf ancient systematic philosophy
- ancientVery old indeed
- protoscienceDiscipline awaiting scientific rigor
naturalism · miasma · Needham · maggots · putrefaction · decay · rotting meat · broth · organic matter · medieval
homunculus
Artificial miniature human
- golemAnimated clay servant
- phoenixSelf-immolating, regenerating bird
- creationismDivine origin doctrine
animism · vitalism · alchemy · creation myths · supernatural · divine spark · cosmogony · folklore · legend · arcane
abiogenesis
Life from inanimate matter
- vitalismNon-physical life principle
- life forceAnimating vital energy
- élan vitalCreative principle driving evolution
materialism · mechanism · emergence · complexity · organization
Pasteur
French scientist's surname
- sterilizationComplete elimination of microbes
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- biogenesisLife originates from life
germ theory · scientific method · experimentation · control group · disproved · refuted · microbiology · boiling · peer review · replication
spontaneous generationbiogenesis
Life originates from life
cell theory · reproduction · germ theory · sexual reproduction · abiogenesis
spontaneous generationintelligent design
Purposeful cause over randomness
creationism · planned development · natural selection · divine creation · cultivation
spontaneous, spontaneously, spontaneity, generation, generations, generational, generate, generates, generated