Homework • Unanswered • Due Today, 11:59 PM Mark as: None Which of the following individuals is credited for definitively refuting the theory of spontaneous generation using broth in swanneck flask? Select an answer and submit. For keyboard navigation, use the up/down arrow keys to select an answer. a Aristotle b Jan Baptista van Helmont c John Needham d Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur famously conducted experiments using swan-neck flasks that allowed air to enter while preventing microbial contamination. His broth remained free of microbial life, effectively debunking the idea of spontaneous generation and demonstrating that microorganisms come from other microorganisms, not from non-living things. This groundbreaking work set the stage for modern microbiology and sterilization techniques. The debate about spontaneous generation was prevalent for centuries, with figures like Aristotle and Needham contributing to the discussion. However, it was Pasteur's elegant experiments in the 19th century that firmly established the principle of biogenesis, paving the way for advances in germ theory and the understanding of infectious diseases. His work not only transformed biology but also helped improve public health.