4. Spontaneous Generation
For centuries, people believed in spontaneous generation—the idea that living creatures could emerge from non-living matter. It was thought that maggots simply appeared in decaying meat or that mice could arise from piles of grain and rags. This belief endured until the 17th and 19th centuries, when experiments by Francesco Redi and Louis Pasteur finally proved that life comes only from pre-existing life. Their work laid the foundation for modern biology and put an end to one of history’s most persistent misconceptions. Learn more at Britannica
