Maria Sibylla Merian is celebrated for accurate illustrations of metamorphosis and challenging which idea?

• A. Spontaneous generation
• B. Natural selection
• C. Plate tectonics
• D. Geocentrism

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is whether living organisms arise from preexisting life or spontaneously from nonliving matter. Maria Sibylla Merian’s meticulous, accurate illustrations of insect metamorphosis provide direct evidence for life cycling through distinct developmental stages—from eggs to larvae to pupae to adults—showing that insects come from reproductive processes rather than appearing out of nowhere. Her work in Suriname documents these life cycles in detail, reinforcing the concept of biogenesis: organisms originate from preexisting life and not by spontaneous generation.

Natural selection is about how traits that aid survival become more common over time; plate tectonics explains the movement of Earth's crust; geocentrism is an outdated model placing Earth at the center of the universe. Merian’s focus on development and reproduction through metamorphosis aligns with biogenesis, not those other ideas.