Name: Nor N G J. Tupas Date Performed: Oct.

15, 2023

Section: Grade 12 STEM Date Submitted: Nov. 05, 2023

Rating:

Spontaneous Generation of Maggots?

Introduction
Spontaneous generation or abiogenesis is the idea that life could appear from nonliving material.
On the other hand, biogenesis is the belief that life originates from preexisting life.

Objective
To determine if maggots can be spontaneously generated from meat using a controlled
experiment.

Materials
3 glass jars of the same size
3 slices of fresh meat (chicken)
clean stockings
rubber bands

Time Frame
2 weeks

Procedure
1. The three glass jars have been cleaned and dried.
2. A piece of fresh meat (chicken) was placed at the bottom of each of the
three jars.
3. The first jar was kept open and left outside the room where it will be
exposed to flies. This jar was labeled Jar A.
4. The mouth of the second jar was sealed with clean stockings using a
rubber band. It was kept beside Jar A. This jar was labeled Jar B.
5. The cap was tightly put and sealed the third jar. This jar was kept inside
the room (dry area). This jar was labeled Jar C.
 6. The appearance of maggots was observed after two weeks. The
observation was continued until the growth of maggots was observed.
7. The observations was recorded.

Observations
Final observations:

Jar A Jar B Jar C

Growth of Visible Visible None
maggots
(Numerous maggots (Few maggots grew) (No signs of growth
grew) of maggots)

Smell Rotten Rotten Rotten

(Bad and Unbearable) (Bad but bearable (Bad but bearable)

than Jar A)

Color of meat Dark gray Dark gray Pale pink

(Other parts of the (Other parts of the (Almost white)

meat were black) meat were black)

Growth of fungi Visible Visible Visible

(Meat was almost (Meat was almost (Signs of growing

covered in fungi) covered in fungi) fungi is visible)

Observations throughout the process:

After a day, flies began to swarm around the Jar A and Jar B. Moreover, Jar C remained
the same.

A day after that, change of pigment in Jar A and Jar B is visible.

In just few days, flies began laying eggs in the meat (directly) in Jar A. In Jar B, on the
other hand, flies laid their eggs on the stockings that covered the jar. In addition, Jar C
did not show any signs of difference.

A day after, tiny maggots are now visibly moving in Jar A and Jar B.
Few days after that, maggots grew more and the appearance and color of the meat in
Jar A and Jar B drastically changed. The meat in Jar C only changed it’s color to more
pale.

A week after, maggots grew bigger in Jar A and Jar B.

On the last day, final observation day, the meat in Jar A and Jar B completely changed in
color (from reddish pink to dark gray), size (both shrank in size due to maggots eating
the meat), and smell (both smelled rotten). Furthermore, the meat in Jar C did not
excessively change. However, the color of the meat changed fairly and small signs of
growing fungi is visible.

Conclusion
The jar that was left opened (Jar A) was observed to have a growth of maggots.
Moreover, the jar that was covered with clean stockings (Jar B) was also observed to
have a growth of maggots. However, they were fewer compared to the growth in Jar A. In
addition, the jar that was sealed by a cap (Jar C) did not grow maggots.

Therefore, it is concluded that maggots cannot be spontaneously generated from meat.

Furthermore, this experiment debunks the Spontaneous Generation Theory.

Post-Laboratory Questions
1.) What is a controlled experiment?

A controlled experiment is defined as an experiment in which all the variable

factors in an experimental group and a comparison control group are kept the same
except for manipulated variable factors in the experimental group that are changed
or altered.

2.) What is the manipulated variable in this experiment?

The manipulated variables in this experiment were the coverings of the jar (the
absence of covering and the presence of 2 different types of coverings) and the
location of where the jars were left.

In regards to the manipulated variable coverings of the jar, Jar A was uncovered,
Jar B was covered with clean stockings, Jar C was tightly sealed with a cap.
Furthermore, about the manipulated variable location of the jars, Jar A and Jar B
were left outside, and Jar C was left inside a room.

3.) Why do you observe growth of fungi in all setups after several days of the
experiment?

The observation of fungi shows the generation of life in the meat in all of the
setups. The appearance of fungi in all setups after several days proves the existence
of microorganisms present in the raw meat.
 The fungi grow because of the nutrients they get from the meat. Moreover, the air
is one of the factors. The air in the open space which contains microorganisms and
other nutrients that feeds on the organisms that are present in the raw meat. In the
tightly sealed jar, it is at room temperature; the moisture is evident because of the
meat itself.

The growth of fungi in all of the setups merely states that there are
microorganisms in the raw meat itself that feeds on the nutrients of the meat and,
therefore, grew into visible.