Louis pasteur biography courteney cox

In Pasteur's early works as a chemisthe resolved a problem concerning the nature of tartaric acid Tartaric acid is a crystalline organic acid that occurs naturally in many plantsparticularly grapesbananasand tamarinds, and is one of the main acids found in wine. A solution of this compound derived from living things specifically, wine lees rotated the plane of polarization of light passing through it.

The mystery was that tartaric acid derived by chemical synthesis had no such effect, even though its reactions were identical and its elemental composition was the same. Upon examination of the minuscule crystals of sodium ammonium tartrate, Pasteur noticed that the crystals came in two asymmetric forms that were mirror images of one another, resembling one another as would left- and right-hand gloves.

Louis pasteur biography courteney cox: Cox née. Leibnich, oculist, her

Tediously sorting the crystals by hand gave two forms of the compound: Solutions of one form rotated polarized light clockwise, while the other form rotated light counterclockwise. An equal mix of the two had no polarizing effect on light. Pasteur correctly deduced the molecule in question was asymmetric and that the organic form of the compound consisted purely of the one type.

As the first demonstration of chiral molecules, it was quite an louis pasteur biography courteney cox. Pasteur's doctoral thesis on crystallography attracted the attention of M. Inhe was named Dean of the new College of Science in Lille. Louis Pasteur demonstrated that the fermentation process is caused by the growth of microorganismsand that the growth of microorganisms in nutrient broths is not due to spontaneous generation.

A cornerstone principle of biology is that living organisms come only from other living organisms excepting the original appearance of life on Earth. However, historically, people relying on their observations came to the conclusion that living organisms could arise virtually overnight from rotting meat fliesstored grain micemud fishclear broth bacteriaand so forth.

According to Aristotleit was a readily observable truth that aphids arise from the dew that falls on plants, fleas from putrid matter, mice from dirty hay, and so forth. Experimental scientists continued to decrease the conditions within which the spontaneous generation of complex organisms could be observed. These include the work of Francesco Redi, who in proved that no maggots appeared in meat when flies were prevented from laying eggs and Lazzaro Spallanzani, who in showed that microorganisms could not appear in flasks of boiled broth left sealed.

However, the opponents of Spallanzani disagreed with his conclusions, claiming that he had boiled the water so long that the "vital force" in the air was destroyed Towle The spontaneous generation controversy continued into the mids and was so contentious that the Paris Academy of Sciences offered a prize to anyone who could clear up the issue Towle The winner was Louis Pasteur, whose experiments in disproved that organisms such as bacteria and fungi appear in nutrient rich media of their own accord.

Pasteur utilized a long, curved necked flask in his experiments. Pasteur exposed boiled broths to air, but the curved pathway trapped particles, preventing their reaching the growth medium. The boiled broth remained clear and uncontaminated, even for more than a year, despite exposure to air, but when the curved necked of the flask was removed, the broth clouded with microorganisms within a day Towle Similar results occurred when the vessels contained a filter to prevent all particles from passing through to the growth medium.

Nothing grew in the broths; therefore, the living organisms that grew in such broths came from outside, as spores on dust, rather than spontaneously generated within the broth. In Pasteur's words: "Productions of infusions [liquids contaminated with microorganisms], previously heated, have no other origin than the solid particles which the air always transports" Towle Pasteur claimed to "have driven partisans of the doctrine of spontaneous generation into the corner," leading to a sudden death of the theory of a continuing process of generation of life from non-living matter Towle The germ theory of disease is that microorganisms are the cause of many diseases.

While Pasteur was not the first to propose the germ theory Girolamo Fracastoro, Agostino Bassi, Friedrich Henle, and others had suggested it earlierhe developed it and conducted experiments that clearly indicated its correctness and managed to convince most of Europe it was true.

Louis pasteur biography courteney cox: Louis Pasteur and remains crucial

For example, Pasteur used a drop of blood from a sheep dying of anthrax, grew this in a sterile culture, and kept repeating the process a times, representing a huge dilution of the original culture Cohn Before these achievements, he revolutionized germ theory by demonstrating how boiling liquids could kill harmful microorganisms. Major Works and Awards Louis Pasteur is most remembered for developing pasteurization, a process in which beverages like beer, wine, and milk are heated to a certain temperature to eliminate germs, and for creating the first vaccines for rabies and anthrax.

Inthe Royal Society of London awarded him the Rumford Medal for his discovery of the nature of racemic acid and its relationship to polarized light in He also received the Copley Medal for his work on fermentation. Inhe was honored with the Leeuwenhoek Medal for his contributions to arts and sciences. Personal Life While serving as a professor of chemistry, Pasteur met Marie Laurent, the daughter of the university's rector, and married her in They had five children, but tragically, only two survived to adulthood, while the other three succumbed to diseases.

This personal tragedy fueled Pasteur's determination to find cures and deepen his scientific inquiries, motivating him to work tirelessly to help others and make a significant impact on the world. Louis Pasteur passed away on September 28,due to health issues and heart attacks. His wife, Marie, passed away on September 28, Keep in mind: This is only a sample.

Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get custom essay Conclusion In conclusion, Louis Pasteur will always be remembered for his groundbreaking discoveries in science and his profound influence on the world. His contributions have shaped modern science and continue to inspire future generations. References Pasteur, L. Pasteur Institute.

Paris: Pasteur Institute Publications. Royal Society of London. Rumford Medal. London: Royal Society. Louis Pasteur December 27,Dole, Jura - September 28,Villeneuve-l'Etang, near Paris was a microbiologist and chemist, and the founder of modern microbiology and immunology. He proved that diseases, now known as contagious, can only arise from infection - the penetration of microorganisms from the external environment into the body.

This principle continues to be the basis of the theory and practice of combating contagious diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Louis Pasteur was the son of a French tanner from the town of Dole. Despite his weak health and lack of louis pasteur biography courteney cox, Pasteur successfully completed higher education in Paris, where he studied to become a teacher for secondary schools.

He attended lectures by the famous chemist Dumas and developed a strong interest in chemistry and physics. His passion for scientific research led him to choose a modest job as a chemistry laboratory assistant instead of a lucrative teaching position. In a short period of time, Pasteur was able to accomplish significant scientific work, preparing and brilliantly defending two doctoral dissertations: one in physics and the other in chemistry.

By the age of 26, Pasteur had already gained recognition through his research on the structure of crystals, discovering the cause of the differing influence of polarized light on crystals of organic substances. Louis Pasteur by Albert Edelfelt Career [ change change source ].

Louis pasteur biography courteney cox: French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur

Personal life [ change change source ]. Death [ change change source ]. References [ change change source ]. Retrieved 23 March Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.