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Evolution

Question
CBSEENBI12001952

Describe the experiment that helped Louis Pasteur to dismiss the theory of spontaneous generation of life.

Solution

Louis Pasteur suggested that life propagated only from the pre-existing life forms. He conducted the swan-necked flask experiment and proved his point on the continuity of life.
His experiment was as follows:

• Two swan-necked flasks containing nutrient broth were used.

• The broth in both the flasks was boiled to kill any existing microbes and was made sterile.

• After sterilisation one of the flask necks was broken. The flasks were kept undisturbed for some time. 

• After some time, the dust particles along with bacteria in the air entered the flask with the broken neck and got accumulated at the neck of the unbroken flask.

• The broth in the broken flask became cloudy, while the broth in the unbroken flask remained clear. Cloudiness of the broth indicated the presence of microbial life in the broken flask.

• Appearance of life, even after sterilisation, in the broken flask concluded that life in the flask arose only from pre-existing life; thus, and discarded the theory of spontaneous generation.