Louis Pasteur The Scientific Field Of Biology - 2860 Words

Louis Pasteur: The French 19th century biologist, Louis Pasteur, is responsible for many scientific advancements, particularly in the field of biology. He has become one of the most well-known figures in the science of biology for having a massive effect on the direction of scientific thinking. He was a key figure in contributing to the germ theory of disease. His historical experiments proved his theories, and changed the way the world views the fundamental principles of microbiology. One experiment that he sought to complete was one to find out what the cause was for fermentation. He wanted to see what would happen if he passed oxygen through a fermenting liquid. The oxygen stopped the fermentation process, and the broth continued†¦show more content†¦The straight tube would allow for air-borne bacteria to fall straight into the broth while the swan neck would trap the bacteria in the trough. He did this to try and disprove the widely accepted theory of spontaneous generation. At the time, this changed the whole concept of microbiological reproduction and brought in a new way of thinking. While both of these experiments carried out by Louis Pasteur had a large effect on the way people perceived the world of science, they both did it in slightly different ways. For Pasteur’s experiment that disproved the spontaneous generation theory, it completely changed the way scientists thought about life for centuries before. Not only that, but it simply changed the way people viewed the world. He was able to show that bacteria were not able to form on its own without a source, and that it needed a catalyst (in this case, microorganisms from the air). This is an example of a scientific advancement, improving our knowledge and understanding in the field of biology. Not only did it disprove spontaneous generation on a microbiological scale, but made everybody think about the entire theory pertaining to other animals such as maggots and rats. This advancement lead to people rethinking the entire concept of animal reproduction, and was a stepping stone for greater scientific d iscoveries using the newfound understanding. It’s just one example of how improving scientific understanding leads to new perceptions