Lazzaro Spallanzani
Spallanzani, Lazzaro (1729–1799), an Italian biologist, one of the foremost experimenters of his day. He disproved the theory of spontaneous generation, an early biological theory that stated that certain living things can arise from nonliving matter. Spallanzani also proved that living cells use oxygen and give off carbon dioxide, and he explained the role of gastric juice in digestion. He also studied reproduction in amphibians.
Spallanzani attended the University of Bologna and became a Roman Catholic priest. However, he developed an interest in science and, as a university professor, devoted himself to research.