Which fundamental concept was demonstrated by both Francesco Redi's and Louis Pasteur's experiments?

• A. All microorganisms are pathogenic.
• B. Bacteria are responsible for fermentation.
• C. Living organisms do not arise spontaneously from nonliving matter.
• D. Viruses can be cultured in nutrient broth.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the main focus of Francesco Redi's experiment, which involved disproving spontaneous generation by showing that maggots on meat came from flies, not from the meat itself.
2. Recognize that Louis Pasteur's experiment further tested spontaneous generation by using sterilized broth in swan-neck flasks, demonstrating that microorganisms did not appear unless exposed to contaminated air.
3. Understand that both experiments aimed to challenge the idea that living organisms could arise spontaneously from nonliving matter without parental organisms.
4. Conclude that the fundamental concept demonstrated by both experiments is that living organisms originate from other living organisms, not spontaneously from nonliving material.
5. Relate this concept to the broader principle in microbiology that life arises from pre-existing life, which laid the foundation for modern germ theory and microbiological practices.