panspermia

noun

pan·​sper·​mia ˌpan-ˈspər-mē-ə How to pronounce panspermia (audio)
: a theory propounded in the 19th century in opposition to the theory of spontaneous generation and holding that reproductive bodies of living organisms exist throughout the universe and develop wherever the environment is favorable

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Cite this Entry

“Panspermia.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/panspermia. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

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