1626-1697

Italian physician and scientist who demonstrated that maggots and flies do not arise by spontaneous generation in putrefying meat, but from eggs laid by adult flies. Redi designed a series of carefully controlled experiments using different kinds of meats in flasks that were open, or sealed to keep out air and flies, or covered with gauze to admit air, but keep out flies. Despite the putrefaction that occurred in all cases, maggots only appeared in the open and uncovered flasks.