Biogenesis is the production of new living organisms or organelles. The law of biogenesis, attributed to Louis Pasteur, is the observation that living things come only from other living things, by reproduction (e.g. a spider lays eggs, which develop into spiders). That is, life does not arise from non-living material, which was the position held by spontaneous generation. This is summarized in the phrase Omne vivum ex vivo, Latin for "all life [is] from life." A related statement is Omnis cellula e cellula, "all cells [are] from cells;" this observation is one of the central statements of cell theory.
The term biogenesis was coined by Henry Charlton Bastian to mean the generation of a life form from nonliving materials, however, Thomas Henry Huxley chose the term abiogenesis and redefined biogenesis for life arising from preexisting life. The generation of life from non-living material is called abiogenesis, and occurred at least once in the history of the Earth, or in the history of the Universe (see panspermia), when life first arose.
"Biogenesis" is the twenty-second episode and the sixth season finale of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on May 16, 1999 on the Fox Network, and aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on July 25, 1999 on Sky1. It was written by executive producers Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Rob Bowman. "Biogenesis" earned a Nielsen household rating of 9.4, being watched by 15.86 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed reviews from critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, Mulder and Scully investigate a bizarre rock inscribed with Navajo writing found in Côte d'Ivoire, and the death of the African scientist involved. While its appearance in Washington begins to affect Mulder’s mental health, leading him to turn to Agent Fowley for help; a disturbed Scully—determined to disprove the theory that life on Earth began with aliens—heads to New Mexico and finds a dying Albert Hosteen—who has discovered that the rock includes passages from the Bible, and a map of the human genome. While Mulder breaks down in a mental institution, Scully journeys unexpectedly to Africa.
Biogenesis is the generation of life from existing life.
Biogenesis may also refer to:
[Music: Flo V. Schwarz, T. Eiermann & W. Maier / Lyrics: T. Eiermann]
So much to say, so much would last for years
May be an answer could dry my mourning tears
Do you feel lost a million miles from home?
Do you have a place to go? Any peaceful place to go?
[PreCH.:]
Yeah, I remember you I always do
Too sweet to let you go
Can't hide my feelings, no
These words I wrote, I wrote for you
This song goes out to you
[CH.:]
Could you dry my saline eyes
Hopeful tears of care
I know - sometime we'll meet again
In Paradise, I swear
So hard to understand these doubtfull ways of God
Where's the answer to the question
I've never known Who answers me? And whom should I
believe?
Do we have a place to stay? Any peaceful place to stay?
[PreCH.:]
Yeah, I remember you I always do
Too sweet to let you go
Can't hide my feelings, no
These words I wrote, I wrote for you
This song goes out to you
[CH.:]
Could you dry my saline eyes
Hopeful tears of care
I know - sometime we'll meet again
In Paradise, I swear