72 generations of Drosophila were kept in darkness by a scientist. Despite that, the first flies possessed eyes that were normal. This disapproves the theory of

The correct option is Acquired characters.

Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Understanding the Experiment:
In this experiment, a scientist kept Drosophila (fruit flies) in complete darkness for 72 consecutive generations. Since eyes are not required to navigate or survive in absolute darkness, the flies did not use their eyes during their lifetimes. According to theories that suggest changes occurring during an organism's life are passed on, the offspring of these flies should have eventually been born with reduced or absent eyes.

2. Observation:
Despite being kept in darkness for 72 generations, the offspring in the next generation still possessed completely normal, functional eyes.

3. Why it disproves the Theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characters:
The theory of inheritance of acquired characters (propounded by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck) states that modifications or traits acquired by an organism during its lifetime in response to the environment (or through use and disuse of organs) are inherited by its offspring.
In this case, the "acquired character" would be the loss or reduction of eye function/structure due to living in darkness. Since the offspring were still born with normal eyes, this experiment directly disproves the idea that such bodily changes or lack of use during an organism's lifetime can be inherited by subsequent generations.