Here's why:
* Microscopes reveal the existence of microorganisms: Microscopes allowed scientists to observe microorganisms like bacteria and protozoa. This was crucial for understanding the existence of these life forms, but it didn't directly prove where they came from.
* Pasteur's experiment and the swan-neck flask: Louis Pasteur's famous experiment with swan-neck flasks provided the most convincing evidence for biogenesis. He demonstrated that broth boiled in a swan-neck flask remained sterile even when exposed to air, as the curve prevented dust particles carrying microorganisms from reaching the broth. This experiment proved that microorganisms did not spontaneously generate in the broth, but instead arose from pre-existing microorganisms in the air.
While microscopic observations were essential in the development of the theory of biogenesis, it was the carefully designed experiments like Pasteur's that solidified the understanding that life only arises from pre-existing life.