FACTOID # 160: 82% of people in Finland show confidence in police institutions, though only 41% of the Fins surveyed felt they could report a crime to the police.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

Encyclopedia > Omne vivum ex ovo

"Omne vivum ex ovo" is Latin for "All live [is] from [an] egg". This is a foundational concept of modern biology. Up into the 19th century it was commonly believed that life forms can appear spontaneosly under certain conditions; for example, that maggots would spontaneously appear in rotten flesh, or that algae would spontaneously form in water, or that eel were generated when horse hairs fell into streams. Only with knowledge of modern cell biology was it established that all currently living organisms are descendants of one or more very similar parent organisms.


This of course says nothing about the question of the origin of life on Earth (or anywhere else in the Universe for that matter), it only speaks about current conditions.


See also: abiogenesis, biogenesis


  Results from FactBites:
 
AudioLatinProverbs.com: Omne vivum ex ovo (397 words)
In the late 17th century, an Italian scientist, Francesco Redi, proved that maggots did not grow in meat where flies were prevented from laying their eggs there.
The belief that omne vivum ex ovo is most closely associated with William Harvey, the 17th-century English doctor who explained the circulation of blood in the body.
I'm excited about the way learning Latin proverbs can be a way to promote general cultural literacy - and this time, the Latin saying provides a bit of scientific literacy, too!
biology: Information from Answers.com (3160 words)
Up into the 19th century, it was commonly believed that life forms could appear spontaneously under certain conditions (see abiogenesis).
This misconception was challenged by William Harvey's diction that "all life [is] from [an] egg" (from the Latin "Omne vivum ex ovo"), a foundational concept of modern biology.
Omne vivum ex ovo - In vivo - In vitro - In utero - In silico
  More results at FactBites »

 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your location
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.