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Zacharias Jansen invents first microscope.
Zacharias Jansen invents first microscope, allowing for the observation of microscopic organisms. -
Jan Baptist van Helmont disovers "recipe" for mice.
Jan Baptist discovered the "recipe" for mice, furthering the theory of sponatneous generation. -
Robert Hooke discovered a honeycomb-like structure in a cork slice using a primitive compound microscope.
Robert Hooke discovered a honeycomb-like structure in a cork slice using a primitive compound microscope, which he called cells do to their resemblance of monks living quarters. -
Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first scientist to closely observe cells under a microscope.
Anton van Leeuwenhoek paved the way for a modern understanding of biology overall. -
Oken made a further advance in the application of the a priori principle.
In 1805 Oken made a further advance in the application of the a priori principle, in a book on generation, in which he maintained that all organic beings originate from and consist of vesicles or cells. -
In 1831, Robert Brown first noticed that plant cells all contain a nucleus.
Robert Brown first noticed that cells contain nuclei, helping further the cell theory. -
Matthias Schleiden creates the theory that plants are made of cells and cell dirivatives.
Matthias Schleiden created the theory that plants were made of cells and cell dirivatives, furthering the theory that all living things are made of cells. -
Theodor Schwann published his book, furthering the cell theory.
Theodor Schwann publishes his book Microscopical Researches into the Accordance in the Structure and Growth of Animals and Plants, extending Mathias Schleiden's theory, that plants were made up of cells and dirivatives of cells, to the theory that cells are the basic units of animal structure. -
Albrecht von Roelliker discoveres that sperm and eggs are also cells.
Roelliker discovers that sperm and eggs are also cells, proving that life does not spontaneously generate. -
Rudolph Virchow suggested that all cells come from pre-existing cells.
In 1858 Virchow championed the work of Robert Remak, who had found convincing evidence that cells form by division. -
Louis Pasteur disproves spontaneous generation.
Louis Pasteur disproved spontaneous generation and firmly established the cell theory beyond doubt with his famous experiment with swan neck flasks.
