Lazzaro Spallanzani (January 10, 1729 - February 12, 1799) was an Italian biologist. He was born in Modena and died in Pavia, Italy. Spallanzani was educated at the Jesuit College of Reggio, and started to study law at the University of Bologna, which he gave up soon and turned to science. At the age of 25, he became professor of logic, metaphysics, and Greek in the University of Reggio. He made many expeditions throughout Europe, including Switzerland and Turkey.
Spallanzani researched and disproved the theory about the spontaneous generation of cellular life in 1768. His experiment proved that microbes come from the air, and that they could be killed through boiling. This work paved the way for later research by Louis Pasteur.
Lazzaro also discovered and described animal (mammal) reproduction, requiering semen and an ovum. He was the first to perform an artificial insemination, using a dog. Spallanzani showed that some animals, especially lizards, can regenerate some parts of their body if injured or surgically removed.
See also: biogenesis.
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