Who was the first to view living cells?

The first to view living cells was Anton van Leeuwenhoek. He is known for his pioneering work in microscopy and for creating lenses that allowed him to observe tiny organisms in pond water, dental plaque, and other samples. This led to the discovery of microorganisms, which he referred to as "animalcules." His observations were groundbreaking, as they provided a glimpse into the microscopic world, revealing that there were living cells that were previously unknown.

In contrast, Robert Hooke is credited with the discovery of cells but observed only dead plant cells in cork. The other scientists, Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann, contributed to cell theory by proposing that all plants and animals are composed of cells, but they did not directly observe living cells for the first time. This distinction highlights the significance of van Leeuwenhoek's contributions to biology and microbiology.