Robert Hooke is credited with discovering cells, including plant cells, when he observed the cell walls of cork under a microscope in 1663.
While Hooke is often associated with the "discovery" of the cell, it's important to understand what he actually observed. Using a primitive microscope, Hooke examined thin slices of cork and saw small, box-like compartments. He called these compartments "cells" because they reminded him of the small rooms monks lived in.
Here's a breakdown:
- What he saw: Hooke primarily observed the cell walls of dead plant cells (cork). He didn't see the living contents of the cell.
- The year: His observations were published in 1665 in his book Micrographia.
- Significance: Although Hooke didn't fully understand the function of these cells, his observations were a crucial step in the development of cell theory, which states that all living things are composed of cells and that the cell is the basic unit of life.
Therefore, Robert Hooke's initial observations of the cell walls in cork marked the first identification and naming of cells, including what we now understand as plant cells.
