Question

Francesco Redi performed an experiment to show that

• A. Maggots arise spontaneously in decaying meat.
• B. Maggots do not arise spontaneously in decaying meat and are produced from the eggs of flies.
• C. Life originated near water.
• D. Life originated from basic organic compounds.

Answer 1

The correct option is B Maggots do not arise spontaneously in decaying meat and are produced from the eggs of flies.

In 1668, Francesco Redi, an Italian scientist, designed a scientific experiment to test the spontaneous creation of maggots by placing fresh meat in each of two different jars.

One jar was left open; the other was covered with a cloth. Days later, the open jar contained maggots, whereas the covered jar contained no maggots. He did note that maggots were found on the exterior surface of the cloth that covered the jar.

Redi successfully demonstrated that the maggots came from fly eggs and thereby helped to disprove spontaneous generation.