Who among the following first discovered cell ?

The discovery of the cell is attributed to the English scientist Robert Hooke in 1665 [1]. While examining thin slices of cork under a self-made compound microscope, Hooke observed small, honeycomb-like compartments which he termed 'cells'. He published these findings in his famous work, 'Micrographia' [1]. Although Hooke discovered the cell, he was observing dead plant tissue; Antonie van Leeuwenhoek later became the first to observe and describe living cells, such as bacteria and protozoa, in the 1670s [1]. Other scientists mentioned in the options contributed later: Robert Brown discovered the cell nucleus in 1831, and Rudolf Virchow expanded the cell theory in 1855 by proposing that all cells arise from pre-existing cells. Therefore, Robert Hooke is recognized as the first to discover the cell.

Sources

1. [1] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: The Invisible Living World: Beyond Our Naked Eye > Ever heard of ... > p. 10