To disprove the idea of spontaneous generation he conducted an experiment using meat and flies. 2 jars of raw meat were left exposed, 2 covered by gauze, and 2 tightly sealed. His theory was that if flies could not reach the meat, then maggots would never develop. He was proven correct when no maggots appeared in the covered jars.

1668- Francesco Redi first tries to disprove spontaneous generation 

In 1745 John Needham conducted an experiment where he briefly boiled beef broth hoping to kill any microbes. He then sealed the broth in jars. After a few days he noticed the broth had become cloudy with a sample containing many micro organisms. He thought this proved his idea that life can arise from nonliving matter, however it is thought that he simply did not boil the broth for long enough to kill any living organisms.

1745- John Needham attempts to prove spontaneous generation to be true

Lazzaro Spallanzani disagreed with Needham and recreated his beef broth experiment. His findings contradicted those of Needham. In Spallanzanis experiment he sealed the broth after boiling it and it remained clear. However, broth exposed to air after boiling would get cloudy, suggesting that the microbes were introduced during the exposure and not spontaneously generated. 

1767- Lazzaro Spallanzani

Louis Pasteur recreated Spellanzanis experiment using flasks with long twisted necks. the twisted necks allowed air in the flasks to be able to flow out of the flask, but prevented the introduction of any microbes. The broth inside the flasks remained sterile, finally disproving spontaneous generation once and for all.

1862- Finally disproving Spontaneous Generation

the theory that life can grow from nonliving matter.

Austin Community College

Key scientists and their research led to our understandings about the field of Microbiology.

Notable Scientists in Microbiology

https://openstax.org/details/books/microbiology/

Microbiology covers the scope and sequence requirements for a single-semester microbiology course for non-majors. The book presents the core concepts of microbiology with a focus on applications for careers in allied health. The pedagogical features of the text make the material interesting and accessible while maintaining the career-application focus and scientific rigor inherent in the subject matter. Microbiology’s art program enhances students’ understanding of concepts through clear and effective illustrations, diagrams, and photographs.

Microbiology is produced through a collaborative publishing agreement between OpenStax and the American Society for Microbiology Press. The book aligns with the curriculum guidelines of the American Society for Microbiology.

OpenStax Microbiology Textbook

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek was the first scientist to develop a microscope lens powerful enough to see what he called "animalcules" based of of drawings he made of his observations, we now know that what he was seeing was bacteria and protists

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek

Robert Koch was a German scientist that was the first person to discover the connection between a single microbe and a human disease. He is credited with the discovery of  Bacillus anthracis, Vibrio cholera, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. He also developed 4 postulates (rules) that must be proven in order to show that an organism causes disease

Robert Koch

Francesco Redi was an Italian physician that was among the first to disagree with the idea that maggots could spontaneously generate on meat left out for extended periods of time. To disprove the idea of spontaneous generation he did an experiment using raw meat and flies. 2 jars of raw meat were left exposed to air, 2 covered in gauze, and 2 tightly sealed. His theory was that if flies could not reach the meat, then maggots would never develop. He was proven right when no maggots appeared in the covered jars.

Francesco Redi

Edward Jenner coined the term "vaccination" after inoculating people with cowpox to prevent smallpox infections.

Edward Jenner

Spontaneous Generation 

in 1847 obstetrician Ignaz Semmelweis noticed that women who gave birth in hospitals were more likely to die from infection than women who gave birth in midwife centers. He theorized that this was due to medical providers preforming autopsies and then giving vaginal exams without washing their hands in between patients. When he suggested they start washing their hands, mortality rates dropped from 10-20% to 1%.

Ignaz Semmelweis

In 1867, in an attempt to lower deaths due to postsurgical infections, Joseph Lister began to use disinfectant sprays during surgery. He also developed post operative care procedures and began sterilizing surgical equipment. He was extremely successful and this became the standard practice in all medical settings

Joseph Lister

Louis Pasteur was a very prominent chemist who is credited with many advancements. He discovered pasteurization, studied the wine spoilage and fermentation, and was ultimately the one to disprove spontaneous generation with his famous s-shaped flask experiment. 

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