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In 1668, Francesco Redi performed a series of experiments on spontaneous generation. He began by putting similar pieces of meat into eight identical jars. Four jars were left open to the air, and four were sealed. He then did the same experiment with one variation: Instead of sealing four of the jars completely, he covered them with gauze (the gauze excluded the flies while allowing the meat to be exposed to air). In both experiments, he monitored the jars and recorded whether or not maggots (young flies) appeared in the meat.
What hypothesis was being tested in the initial experiment with open versus sealed jars?
A) Spontaneous generation is more likely during the long days of summer.
B) The type of meat used affects the likelihood of spontaneous generation.
C) Maggots do not arise spontaneously, but from eggs laid by adult flies.
D) Spontaneous generation can occur only if meat is exposed to air.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Francesco Redi's experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that maggots (the young form of flies) do not arise spontaneously from decaying meat but rather from eggs laid by adult flies. By comparing jars that were open to the air (where flies could access the meat and potentially lay eggs) with jars that were sealed (preventing flies from accessing the meat), Redi aimed to demonstrate that the presence of maggots was dependent on the presence of flies, not spontaneous generation.

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