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Period: Jan 12, 1580 to
Jean-Baptiste van Helmont
He was the first to understand that there are gases distinct in kind from atmospheric air. Jean also discovered photosynthesis by experimenting with a tree, soil, and a changing weight by addind water. From his research data, the concept of the conservation of mass was relevant. -
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Francesco Redi
He was the first person to prove that the presence of maggots in putrefying meat does not result from spontaneous generation, but from eggs laid on the meat by flies. He proved this 1668.Redi took the first group of three, and covered the tops with fine gauze so that only air could get into it. He left the other group of jars open. After several days, he saw maggots appear on the objects in the open jarsflies had been able to land, but not in the gauze-covered jars. -
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John Needham
He showed that life was able to be generated from non-living things and also made big contributions to botany and explained the mechanice of pollen. He is known for his theory of spontaneous generation and the scientific evidence he had presented to support it. -
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Lazzaro Spallanzani
He made important contributions to research of bodily functions, animal reproduction, and essentially discovered animal echolocation. His research of biogenesis paved the way for the investigations of Louis Pasteur. He suggested that microbes moving through the air could be killed through boiling. He also concluded that bats use sound for navigation in the dark. He focused experiments around animals such as reproduction and echolocation. -
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Louis Pasteur
He demonstrated fermentation is caused by the growth of micro-organisms, and the emergent growth of bacteria in nutrient broths is not due to spontaneous generation, but rather to biogenesis.