What is theory of spontaneous generation ?

The correct answer is Option (1) -Life arose from non-living things only.

The theory of spontaneous generation, also known as abiogenesis, proposed that life could arise spontaneously from non-living matter.  For a long time it was  believed that life came out of decaying and rotting matter like straw, mud, etc. This was the theory of spontaneous generation.

However, with the advancements in scientific understanding and the development of experimental techniques, spontaneous generation was disproved through experiments conducted by scientists like Francesco Redi and Louis Pasteur. Their experiments demonstrated that living organisms only arise from pre-existing life forms through reproduction, and they refuted the idea of spontaneous generation. This led to the acceptance of the principle of biogenesis, which states that life arises only from other living organisms.