Biogenesis vs.

Abiogenesis

Biology 11
“The secret to reaching my goals lies
solely in my tenacity”

-Louis Pasteur
Abiogenesis vs. Biogenesis

Introduction:
 Biology as a Science progressed by
observation.
 The hypotheses proposed by early
scientists were rarely tested by
experiments.
Abiogenesis continued…

Example:
 Pond dries up – no fish or frogs
 Rain comes – fish and frogs
Therefore: It rained fish and frogs
Abiogenesis continued…

Theory of Abiogenesis
(aka spontaneous generation)
 Nonliving things can be transformed into
living things.
 Proposed by Aristotle who observed
rotting meat and flies.
 Existed for nearly 2000 years
Van Helmont continued…

 ~300 years ago

Belgian doctor Jean van Helmont –
concluded that mice could be created from a
dirty shirt.
 He placed grains of wheat and a dirty shirt in
a container and in 21 days mice appeared.
 Conclusion: Sweat caused wheat to ferment
into mice. Abiogenesis!
Redi

 In 1668 Francesco Redi (Italian

physician) tested Aristotle’s hypothesis
(meat  flies)
Redi continued…

 4 sets of jars with meat (snake, eel, fish,

veal)
one set was open (experimental group)
one set was sealed (control group)
 Maggots appeared on open jars of meat
 Conclusion: Flies come from flies!
Biogenesis – life from life.
Redi continued…

 Bad news  lots of critics

 No air in jar, therefore life could not
survive.
 Redi repeated his experiment with a fine
mesh wire – supported Biogenesis
again!
 Critics still objected…
Needham

 John Needham (1713 – 1781) English

botanist
 Reexamined theory of Abiogenesis
 Observed meat broth left unsealed soon
changed colour (evidence of
microorganisms).
Needham continued…

Experiment:
 Boiled flasks of meat broth to kill
microorganisms
 Left the flasks (unsealed)
 Flasks soon become murky and full of
microbes
Needham continued…

Conclusion:
 Abiogenesis AHHHHHHHHH!!!

 Sent many Scientists down the wrong

path.
Lazzaro Spallanzani
(1729-1799)

 25 years later Spallanzani repeated

experiment more carefully
 Boiled flasks longer and sealed flasks
 Critics again objected to sealed flasks!
The Final Blow!

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

 1864 – Pasteur developed a swan-neck flask

Pasteur continued…

Experiment:
 Boiled broth, air could enter but
microbes were trapped in curved flask
 Broth remained clear  Biogenesis
finally proven!
 The End!
Now here is your assignment:
List and explain three “flaws” in experimental design
that you have heard about during this presentation.