In the 1860s, significant advancements were made in our understanding of the origins of life, largely due to the scientific contributions of Louis Pasteur in France. His research played a crucial role in demonstrating that life does not spontaneously generate; rather, it is a product of pre-existing cells. This finding challenged long-held beliefs about the nature of life and its beginnings.

Bill Bryson discusses this pivotal moment in his book, "A Short History of Nearly Everything," highlighting how it reshaped our understanding of biology. Pasteur's work laid the foundation for modern microbiology and helped clarify the processes through which life propagates, debunking the myth of spontaneous generation.