Final answer:
The experiments to disprove spontaneous generation, in chronological order, are Francesco Redi's in the 17th century, John Needham's in the mid-18th century, Lazzaro Spallanzani's in the late 18th century, and finally Louis Pasteur's in the mid-19th century, which conclusively disproved the theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scientific journey to disprove the theory of spontaneous generation involved several experiments conducted over different periods. Arranging the experiments from the oldest to the most recent, we begin with the work of Francesco Redi, conducted in the late 17th century. Redi's experiment showed that maggots on meat were the offspring of flies, not the products of spontaneous generation.
Next, in the mid-18th century, John Needham's experiment supported spontaneous generation, claiming microbes arose spontaneously in broth from a "life force." Following him, Lazzaro Spallanzani, in the late 18th century, refuted Needham's findings by demonstrating that sealed flasks of boiled broth remained clear of microorganisms unless opened to the air, suggesting microbes were introduced from the outside environment.
The conclusive experiment that ended the debate was conducted in the mid-19th century by Louis Pasteur. Pasteur's famous swan-neck flask experiment proved that microorganisms came from the air, and not from an intrinsic "life force," therefore definitively disproving spontaneous generation and proving the principle that "life only comes from life".