Lazzaro Spallanzani (; 10 January 1729 – 12 February 1799) was an
Italian Catholic priest,
biologist and
physiologist who made important contributions to the experimental study of bodily functions, animal reproduction, and essentially
animal echolocation. His research of
biogenesis paved the way for the downfall of
preformationism theory (the idea that organisms develop from miniature versions of themselves), though the final death blow to preformationism was dealt by
Pasteur.