Abiogenesis and biogenesis are two theories of biology that explain the emergence of living beings in different ways.
The fundamental divergence between them is that according to abiogenesis, living beings would originate from non-living matter. Biogenesis, on the other hand, states that living beings arise from other living beings reproduced.
Abiogenesis Theory
Abiogenesis, also called Spontaneous Generation Theory, defined that living beings originate from lifeless matter and decomposition processes.
Organic reactions of matter decomposition would have the power to originate life forms, which was called vital force.
For example, rats were believed to arise from dirty fabrics, and toads were thought to originate from mud in damp environments.
However, today it is known that this vital force is actually a chemical reaction of organic compounds.
The theory ceased to make sense after the studies of scientist Franchesco Reide, who managed to prove that the larvae found in decomposing corpses did not appear spontaneously.
From an experiment with organic matter in the process of decomposition, Reide managed demonstrate that the larvae found originated from fly eggs that approached the meat in decomposition.
Advocates of abiogenesis
Aristotle, Isaac Newton, Saint Augustine and René Descartes are examples of philosophers and researchers who believed in and influenced the theory of abiogenesis.
Learn more about Abiogenesis.
Biogenesis Theory
Biogenesis appeared after abiogenesis and explained the appearance of living beings in the opposite way. According to this theory, living beings can only be born from the reproduction process of other living beings.
Biogenesis emerged from the experiments of scientist Louis Pasteur, who managed to prove that the spontaneous generation of abiogenesis did not exist.
In his observation, it was proven that the birth of living beings occurs from the reproduction of other preexisting living beings. However, there is still a gap in the theory, since biogenesis does not explain how the first living being on Earth appeared.
Biogenesis is the theory currently accepted by science to explain the birth of living beings.
See more about Biogenesis.
| Abiogenesis | Biogenesis |
|---|---|
| Life arises from lifeless matter. | Life originates from other living beings. |
| Worms and bacteria spontaneously arise in lifeless matter. | Worms and bacteria arise from the decomposition of organic matter. |