Why Antonie van Leeuwenhoek is credited with discovering living cells?

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek is known as the discoverer of living cells because he was the first person to observe and describe microorganisms—like bacteria and protozoa—using microscopes he made himself. He called these tiny creatures “animalcules.” Unlike Robert Hooke, who saw only dead plant cells, Leeuwenhoek’s microscopes were powerful enough to reveal living, moving cells. His careful observations of pond water, saliva, and even his own teeth became the starting point of microbiology.

Powerful custom microscopes:

Leeuwenhoek designed and built his own single-lens microscopes, which were much stronger and clearer than others available at that time.

First observations of “animalcules”:

Using his microscopes, he was the first to see and describe living microorganisms such as bacteria and protozoa found in pond water, rainwater, and saliva.

Detailed descriptions:

He made accurate notes and drawings of these single-celled organisms, proving they were real living beings, not optical illusions.

Foundation for microbiology:

His discoveries laid the groundwork for modern microbiology and helped disprove the old belief in spontaneous generation—showing that living organisms come only from other living organisms, not from non-living matter.