Why is is Redi's experiment on spontaneous generation considered a controlled experiment?
1 Answer
There was only one variable that was changed in the experiment all the other variables were controlled.
Explanation:
Before Reid's experiment most scientists felt that life spontaneously came from non living matter. One example was flies coming out of dead matter. This was believed to be proof that live came from non life.
Reid place some meat in two containers. He made sure that both samples of meat were clear of any flies or fly larva. Then one container was left open so that flies could land on the meat and lay their eggs. The second container was left open to the air but had a screen that prevented flies from entering and laying their eggs.
The container left open had larva and flies but the container closed off to flies had no large or flies.
This controlled experiment proved that life did not come from non life. The principle that life comes only from life was established from this experiment.
One of the greatest problems with Darwinian evolutionary theory is explaining how life came from non life by purely natural causes.
