Question

State the components of the theory of abiogenesis?
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Answer 1

Hint: Six major theories have been put forward about the origin of life i.e. biopoiesis : special creation, spontaneous generation, catastrophism, cosmozoic, steady-state, and chemical.

Complete answer: The theory of spontaneous generation was upheld before the end of the seventeenth century by both scientists and philosophers.
1. It stated that life originated repeatedly from nonliving materials in a spontaneous manner.
2. It was believed that a hair from the tail of a white horse, when dropped into water, would change into a living horsehair worm (Gordius).
3. Fly larvae were believed to develop from rotten meat.
4. In ancient Egypt, it was held that frogs, snakes, and crocodiles could form from the mud of the river Nile when warmed by the sun.
5. Aristotle held that insects developed from the morning dew and rotting manure, tapeworms from excreta of animals, and crabs and salamanders from wet earth and slime.

Additional information: Evidence against the theory of spontaneous generation: the theory of spontaneous generation was challenged by Lazzaro Spallanzani and Francesco Redi and was finally laid to rest by Louis Pasteur.
Louis Pasteur showed that even the minute organisms such as protists and bacteria arise from the preexisting organism of their kind.

Note: Abiogenesis is also known as autogenesis and spontaneous theory of generation which states that life originates from non-living matter.