How did Fracastoro's theories differ from prevailing beliefs?
Before Fracastoro, the prevailing beliefs about disease transmission were largely based on the miasma theory, which posited that diseases were caused by "bad air" or miasmas emanating from decaying organic matter. Fracastoro's theories were revolutionary as they suggested that diseases could be transmitted through physical particles, a concept closer to what we understand today as pathogens like bacteria and viruses.
