Final answer:
Spontaneous generation is the theory that life originates from nonliving matter, but it has been disproven through experiments by scientists like Louis Pasteur.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of spontaneous generation states that life arose from nonliving matter. This theory dates back to the ancient Greeks, with Aristotle proposing that life can arise from nonliving material if it contained vital heat. However, the theory was disproven by experiments conducted by scientists like Louis Pasteur in the 19th century. Pasteur's experiments showed that life can only come from preexisting life and not spontaneously from nonliving matter.