In response to John Needham's attempt to prove this, Lazzaro Spallanzani performed an experiment involving a sealed container partially evacuated of air, in which he boiled soup.
Jan Swammerdam tried to disprove this theory in order to prove the existence of God. In response to John Needham's attempt to prove this, Lazzaro Spallanzani performed an experiment involving a sealed container partially evacuated of air, in which he boiled soup. Despite its obvious flaws demonstrated by Francesco Redi, this theory persisted well into the 19th century because Darwinism suggested that life evolved from chemical substances. Finally disproved using a flask with a bent neck by Louis Pasteur, for 10 points, name this theory, also known as abiogenesis, supported by the observation that rotten meat seems to "give life" to maggots.
Jan Swammerdam tried to disprove this theory in order to prove the existence of God.
{spontaneous generation} [accept {abiogensis} until mentioned]