Redi Experiment

Redi's Experiment

Francesco Redi - One of the first to disprove spontaneous generation. An Italian doctor who proved maggots came from flies. (Italian 1668)

Spontaneous Generation

The idea that organisms originate directly from nonliving matter.
"life from nonlife"
abiogenisis - (a-not bio-life genesis-origin)

Redi's Problem

Where do maggots come from?
Hypothesis: Maggots come from flies.

Redi put meat into three separate jars.

Jar 1 was left open
Jar 2 was covered with netting

Jar 3 was sealed from the outside

Redi's Experiment Step 1

Jar-1

Left open
Maggots developed

Flies were observed laying eggs on the meat in the open jar

Redi's Experiment Step 2

Jar-2

Covered with netting
Maggots appeared on the netting

Flies were observed laying eggs on the netting

Redi's Experiment Step 3

Jar-3

Sealed
No maggots developed

Redi's Experiment Results

What did Redi's experiment show?
Was his hypothesis correct or incorrect?

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Redi's Problem Where do maggots come from? Hypothesis: Maggots come from flies. Redi put meat into three separate jars. Jar 1 was left open Jar 2 was covered with netting Jar 3 was sealed from the outside
Redi's Experiment Step 1 Jar-1 Left open Maggots developed Flies were observed laying eggs on the meat in the open jar
Redi's Experiment Step 2 Jar-2 Covered with netting Maggots appeared on the netting Flies were observed laying eggs on the netting
Redi's Experiment Step 3 Jar-3 Sealed No maggots developed
Redi's Experiment Results What did Redi's experiment show? Was his hypothesis correct or incorrect?