If you said, “Two plus two equals four, or there are fish in the ocean.” No one would argue with you and you wouldn’t offend anybody. But if you explicitly claimed, “Life came from God’s design or Life originated from non-living matter”, you could possibly put yourself in hot water and offend somebody.
For centuries until 19th century, people generally believed that some life, such as
frogs, maggots, fleas, mice, arose spontaneously from non-living matter.
For example, the famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle stated that it was an observable truth that fleas arose from rotten matter, mice originated from dirty hay, snakes and crocodiles came from rotting logs at the bottom of water.
The theory that life comes directly from non-living matter is called "spontaneous generation"
In the 19th century, microorganisms were discovered. People knew that meat broth would go bad in several days because of growth of microorganisms. But they didn’t know where the microorganisms came from, and thought the microorganisms must spontaneously generate in the broth.
In 1859, a famous French Scientist, Luis Pasteur designed an experiment and disproved the theory of "spontaneous generation”.
As indicated in the figure below, Pasteur used two flasks, one with a straight neck, and the other with a S-shaped neck. Each flask contained meat broth and both of the flasks are open-mouthed.
He boiled the broth in the two flasks and left them for days. Pasteur found that the broth in the flask with straight neck spoiled, but the broth in the flask with S-shaped neck didn’t.
Pasteur reasoned that microorganisms in the air could enter the flask with straight neck but not the flask with S-shaped necked – because microorganisms were settled by gravity in the neck. He then tilted the S-shaped necked flask so that the broth reached the lowest point in the neck, then the broth rapidly spoiled and went bad.
This experiment proved that the broth itself couldn’t produce microorganisms; microorganisms in the broth came from the microorganisms in the air.
Pasteur concluded that microorganisms were "everywhere", even in the air; and life, even as "simple" as microorganisms, could only come from life.
Up to now, scientists have identified more than two millions of species living on the earth. Please note that no matter you are White men, Black men or Yellow men, we all belong to one species – human being. But there are at least two millions of different species living on the earth. You have to believe that the nature favors diversity. Diversity should not only be tolerated but embraced.
Have we understood life thoroughly? No, far from it. We are still surrounded by the mysteries of life and mysteries of universe. It doesn’t seem strange that there are different understandings about evolution, creationism or intelligent design.
Pasteur’s experiment is sometimes quoted by people who preach Christianity. Is it in favor of creationism or evolution? This is a question left for you.
For centuries until 19th century, people generally believed that some life, such as
frogs, maggots, fleas, mice, arose spontaneously from non-living matter.
For example, the famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle stated that it was an observable truth that fleas arose from rotten matter, mice originated from dirty hay, snakes and crocodiles came from rotting logs at the bottom of water.
The theory that life comes directly from non-living matter is called "spontaneous generation"
In the 19th century, microorganisms were discovered. People knew that meat broth would go bad in several days because of growth of microorganisms. But they didn’t know where the microorganisms came from, and thought the microorganisms must spontaneously generate in the broth.
In 1859, a famous French Scientist, Luis Pasteur designed an experiment and disproved the theory of "spontaneous generation”.
As indicated in the figure below, Pasteur used two flasks, one with a straight neck, and the other with a S-shaped neck. Each flask contained meat broth and both of the flasks are open-mouthed.
He boiled the broth in the two flasks and left them for days. Pasteur found that the broth in the flask with straight neck spoiled, but the broth in the flask with S-shaped neck didn’t.
Pasteur reasoned that microorganisms in the air could enter the flask with straight neck but not the flask with S-shaped necked – because microorganisms were settled by gravity in the neck. He then tilted the S-shaped necked flask so that the broth reached the lowest point in the neck, then the broth rapidly spoiled and went bad.
This experiment proved that the broth itself couldn’t produce microorganisms; microorganisms in the broth came from the microorganisms in the air.
Pasteur concluded that microorganisms were "everywhere", even in the air; and life, even as "simple" as microorganisms, could only come from life.
Up to now, scientists have identified more than two millions of species living on the earth. Please note that no matter you are White men, Black men or Yellow men, we all belong to one species – human being. But there are at least two millions of different species living on the earth. You have to believe that the nature favors diversity. Diversity should not only be tolerated but embraced.
Have we understood life thoroughly? No, far from it. We are still surrounded by the mysteries of life and mysteries of universe. It doesn’t seem strange that there are different understandings about evolution, creationism or intelligent design.
Pasteur’s experiment is sometimes quoted by people who preach Christianity. Is it in favor of creationism or evolution? This is a question left for you.
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The above is one of my 5-7 min speeches delivered in my Toastmaster Club.
