Ward's® Do Microbes Arise Spontaneously? Lab Activity

Determine the Origins of Microbes by Re-creating a Classic Experiment

Scientists once believed that creatures developed from a “vital force” in the air. This concept of spontaneous generation was accepted for centuries until, in the 1800s, Louis Pasteur proved that life could be created only from other life. Now your students can re-create Pasteur’s experiment as they observe two samples of nutrient broth, one sterile and the other nonsterile, to find out where the bacteria grows. The activity comes with materials for six setups, teacher’s guide, and student copymaster.