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Spontaneous generation
Cell theory that cells could appear spontaneously -
First compund microscope made by Hans and Zacharias Janssen
Dutch technicians invented the first compound microscope using two lenses in a tube -
Robert Hooke discovers cells
By looking at thin slices of corks with a compound telescope, he described what he saw as 'cells'. He described these cells as "perforated and porous, much like a honeycomb." He also said they looked like the rooms the monks stayed in. -
Anton van Leeuwenhoek discovers unicellular organisms (bacteria).
Anton van Leeuwenhoek made his own compound microscope and discovered unicellular organisms by studying stagnant water. Anton described them as 'animalcules' since they looked like little animals. -
Leeuwenhoek discovers bacteria
The scientist Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria from the tartar on his teeth -
Henri Dutrochet suggests all organisms are made from cells - but no evidence
French microscopist Henri Dutrochet theorised all plant and animals organisms are composed of cells. But there was no evidence -
Robert Brown discovers the nucleus in plants
While Robert Brown was studying the cells of orchids under a microscope, he located a structure inside the cell, which he named the 'nucleus'. -
Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann creates the cell theory that all living matter is composed of small units called cells.
While Schleiden was studying plant cells and realised all plants were made from plant cells, Schwann was studying animals and stated all animals were made of animal cells. They then joined together and concluded all living matter is composed of cells. First statement in cell theory - all matter is made up of cells. Second statement is cells are in the basic unit structure. -
Johannes Purkinje introduces the term protoplasm
The Czech physiologist, Johannes Purkinje, coins the word 'protoplasm' to define the contents of a cell -
Rudolf Virchow provides evidence that all cells divide and that is how new cells are made.
Rudolf stated that 'where a cell exists there must have been a pre-existing cell, just as the animal arises only from an animal and the plant only from a plant.' Although Schleiden initially did not agree with this and thought cells spontaneously appear (free cell formation), he was proven wrong by Rudolf's research. This was the final part of the cell theory. -
Louis Pasteur disproved spontaneous generation
Contributed to the cell theory by disproving spontaneous generation. He was the first scientist to prove that cells can only form from pre-existing cells. He did this by creating an experiment with an s-shaped tube that showed cells would only grow in broth if air was exposed -
Carl Zeiss and Ernst Abbe creates a microscope that allowed you to see at 1000x magnification
Carl Zeiss and Ernst Abbe created the first oil immersion objectives which allowed 1000x magnification. -
Walther Flemming describes cell division (mitosis)
The German biologist observes biological stained and living cells to verify Virchow's idea that cells divide. He described this division as mitosis