Biological variation or differences in origin, form, or reproduction between organisms; also called spontaneous generation (now disproven).
From Greek hetero- (different) + -geny (origin or generation). A historical biology term for the discredited theory that life could originate from non-living matter.
Scientists once thought heterogeny explained how maggots appeared from meat, but microscopes revealed tiny eggs the flies laid—disproving the theory that life could spontaneously generate!
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