Self-generation or self-origination; the theory that organisms develop spontaneously from non-living matter.
From Greek 'auto-' (self) and 'geny' (generation/birth), used since the 19th century as a synonym for autogenesis.
The concept of autogeny haunted biology for millennia—Aristotle believed in it, and intelligent people debated it until microscopes revealed the world of hidden bacteria doing the actual work.
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