Francesco Redi (* 18. /19. February 1626 in Arezzo; "† 1. March 1697 in Pisa) was an Italian physician.

It became admits by its experiment in the year 1668, which was one of the first steps for the refutation of the Abiogenese (Generatio spontanea, Urzeugung). At that time one believed that larvae develop automatically in decaying meat. In its experiment Redi took three pots and filled it with meat. It locked a pot completely. It left the second pot open and the third pot covered it with gauze. Larvae appeared only in the open, but not in the locked pot. On the gauze of the third pot he (itself developing) found larvae.

It continued with its experiments, by catching and for it waiting larvae, until they developed themselves further. They did and became that also usual flies. If one gave dead flies or larvae to locked meat pots, no new larvae developed. If one did however with living flies, larvae in the meat appeared.

Thereupon Redi formulated the famous sentence: "“Omne vivum ex ovo."” - "“All life develops from an egg."” Thus the theory of the Abiogenese is disproved.

Redi was also a poet. Its most well-known work is Bacco in Toscana.

On Mars a Krater is designated after it.

Articles in category "Francesco Redi"

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