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1. Special Creation Theory
According to the special creation theory, the life is mysterious force or vital spirit that set living things completely apart
from the non-livings and it is originated on our planet due to some supernatural event, which cannot be studied
scientifically but must be accepted on faith. Most religions of different human cultures accepted the concept of special
creation in one way or other. The followers of this theory argue that all living beings on the earth were originally created
by a super natural power–God. According to Bible, for instance, world was created within six natural days. Plants were
created on third day, fish and fowl on the fifth day, and animals on the sixth day. Lastly human beings were created,
first man then woman. Adam, the first man, was molded by God from inanimate matter—clay, which he furnished with
a soul, thus, breathing life into him.
Objections to special creation theory.
The special creation theory lacks sound logic and scientifically sound evidences, therefore, it could not convince the
scientists. Charles Darwin condemned the special creation theory by saying that earth has not always been inhabited by
the plants and animals as we know now.
Theories of Spontaneous Generation or Abiogenesis
This theory states that life originated from nonliving things in a spontaneous manner. This concept was held by early
Greek philosophers like Thales, Anaximander, Xanophanes, Empedocles, Plato, Aristotle, etc. In ancient Egypt, it was
believed that the mud of the Nile could give rise to frogs, toads, snakes,mice and even crocodiles when warmed by the
sun. Van Helmont (1577-1644) held that human sweat and wheat grains could give rise to organisms. He placed a dirty
shirt in a receptacle containing wheat bran and found that after 21 days the gases from the shirt and wheat had formed
living mice. These beliefs have no scientific grounds and hence are discarded. According to Epicuris(342-271.B.C).
Worms were produced from manure by the action of warmth of sun and air. Anaxagoras(510-428 B.C) thought that life
come in tiny seeds(spermia)with the rain waterto fruitify the earth.According to Aristotle(384-322 B.C)living creatures
are born from like species no doubt,but they also arise spontaneously.
Evidences against the Theory ofSpontaneous Generation:
The theory of spontaneous generation was disproved by many scientists of 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They proved
that new organisms can be formed from pre-existing ones, Noted scientists who experimentally challenged the theory
were Francesco Redi(1626-1697), Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729-1799) and Louis Pasteur (1822-1895).
(i) Redi’s Experiment: Francesco Redi,an Italian physician, took the flesh and cooked it so that no organisms were
left alive. Then he placed flesh in three jars, of which, one was uncovered, the second was covered with parchment
and the third one was covered with fine muslin. He kept these jars for a few days and observed that maggots
developed only in the uncovered jar though the flies also visited other jars
(ii) Spallanzani’s Experiment: Spallanzani (1765), an
Italian scientist disproved the spontaneous generation of
microorganisms. He experimented that animal and
vegetable broths boiled for several hours and soon after
sealed, were never infested with microorganisms. From this
experiment he concluded that high temperature had killed
all living organisms in the broths and without them life
could not appear. When the broths were left exposed to air,
were soon invaded by microorganisms.
(iii) Pasteur’s Experiment: Louis Pasteur,a French
scientist took broths in a long necked flask and then he bent
the neck of the flask. He boiled the broths in the flask to
kill any microorganisms that might be present in them. The
curved neck acted as a filter. If the flask with ‘swan neck’
(curved neck) is kept for months together, no life appeared,as
the germ laden dust particles in the air were trapped by the
curved neck which serves as filter. If the swan neck was broken
off, the broths developed colonies of moulds and bacteria. Thus,
he showed that the source of the micro-organisms for
fermentation or putrefaction such as for milk, sugar and wine,
etc.,was the air and the organisms did not arise from the nutrient
media.
Thus Louis Pasteur (famous for “Germ Theory of Disease and
Immunology”) finally disapproved abiogenesis and proved
biogenesis.

2. But according to biogenesis, life originated from pre-existing life which does not explain the origin of life. So
biogenesis is also disapproved.
Hypothesis of Panspermia or Cosmozoic theory.
This theory was proposed by Richter (1865). According to this theory, ‘protoplasm’ reached the earth in the form of
spores or germs or other simple particles from some unknown part of the universe with the cosmic dust, and
subsequently evolved into various forms of life. Helmholtz (1884) speculated that ‘protoplasm’ in some form reached
the earth with falling meteorites.
Arrhenius postulated the Panspermia Theory and stated that organisms existed throughout the universe and their
spores etc.,could freely travel through space from one star to the others. In fact,panspermia theory is the alternative
name of cosmozoic theory.
Evidences against Cosmozoic Theory:
Living matter cannot survive the extreme cold, dryness and ultra-violet radiation from the sun required to be crossed
for reaching the earth. The theory does not answer basic question about the origin of life.
Theory ofEternity of Life:
This theory was proposed by Preyer in 1880. According to this theory, different types of living beings have always
existed on earth and shall continue to exist forever, changing only in form.
The theory of eternity states that the organisms have been unalterable not only throughout their existence and will
continue to exist in the same unchanging state till eternity.
According to Hulton, we find no vestige of a beginning and no prospect of an end. This theory wassupported by Richter,
Preyer, Helmholtz, Arrhenius, Hoyle, Bondi etc.
Evidence against Theory ofEternity ofLife:
It is accepted that earth had not always existed. If life is eternal, where did it exist before this planet was formed?
Theory ofCatastrophism:
Georges Cuvier (1769-1832), Father of “Modern Palaeontology” and Orbigney (1802- 1837) were the chief advocates
of this theory. According to this theory cataclysms (great destruction) or catastrophic (concerning disastrous event)
revolution occurs upon earth from time to time which completely destroys all organisms (living beings).
New organisms, then, suddenly form from inorganic matter. Each creation consists of life quite different from that of
the previous one. In fact, this theory is merely a modification of theory of special creation. This theory is also not
accepted.
Biogenesis.
Biogenesis is the production of new living organisms or organelles. The law of biogenesis, attributed to Louis Pasteur,
is the observation that living things come only from other living things, by reproduction (e.g. a spider lays eggs, which
develop into spiders). That is, life does not arise from non-living material, which was the position held by spontaneous
generation.
The term biogenesis was coined by Henry Charlton Bastian to mean the generation of a life form from nonliving
materials, however, Thomas Henry Huxley chose the term abiogenesis and redefined biogenesis for life arising from
preexisting life. The generation of life from non-living material is called abiogenesis, and has occurred at least once in
the history of the Earth,[4][5]
or in the history of the Universe (see panspermia), when life first arose.[6][7][8]
The term biogenesis may also refer to biochemical processes of production in living organisms