How did Francesco Redi attempt to disprove the theory of spontaneous generation?

• A. By using sealed and unsealed jars containing meat to show that maggots only appeared in the unsealed jars.
• B. By using a swan-neck flask to prevent dust from reaching the broth.
• C. By demonstrating that plants could grow from seeds without any external influence.
• D. By boiling broth and sealing it to show that no microorganisms would grow.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Francesco Redi designed an experiment to challenge the theory of spontaneous generation, which suggested that life could arise from non-living matter.
2. He prepared several jars, placing meat inside each one. Some jars were left open, while others were sealed with gauze or completely sealed.
3. Redi observed that maggots appeared only in the open jars where flies could lay eggs, while no maggots appeared in the sealed jars.
4. This experiment demonstrated that maggots came from fly eggs, not spontaneously from the meat, providing evidence against spontaneous generation.
5. Redi's work laid the foundation for future experiments that further disproved spontaneous generation, such as those by Louis Pasteur.