The Invention of the Microscope and Discovery of Cells

Early Development of Microscopes

• The invention of the microscope marked a significant advancement in microbiology.
• 17th Century: The development of high-powered microscopes allowed for the discovery of cells and formulation of cell theory.
• Early microscopes:
  • Simple with limited magnifying power.
  • Debated origins, with some evidence of early microscopes as far back as the first century.
  • Likely not useful for cell observation.

The Compound Microscope

• Inventors: Zacharias Janssen and Hans Lippershey.
• Achievements:
  • Combined magnifying lenses to create images 9 times larger than visible by the naked eye.
  • Enabled the exploration of the microscopic world.

Robert Hooke's Contribution

• English Scientist: Robert Hooke.
• Discovery: Observed cells in a thin slice of cork, which is composed of dead plant cells.
• Terminology: Called them "cells" because they resembled tiny boxes or honeycomb.
• Publication: His book, Micrographia (1665), includes an illustration of cork cells, marking the first observation of cells under a microscope.