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Historical Week Monks and Microscopes
07 August 2013

Monks and Microscopes

Robert Hooke (1635-1703) could have called them all sorts of things – capsules, pods, houses – instead he named the basic building blocks of life 'cells'. Looking down a microscope at a slice of cork (Quercus suber, left), he thought its honeycomb pattern resembled rooms in a monastery – rows and rows of tiny monks’ cells. With modern microscopes, not only can we see the shape and texture of similar cells in greater detail (pictured on the right) but it’s also possible to delve deeper; to follow what goes on inside. Far from being simply 'filled with juices' as Hooke described in 1665, we now know that both plant and animal cells are full of life: capable of growing, repairing, adapting and communicating – not unlike the hustle and bustle inside a 17th century monastery, really.

Written by John Ankers

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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