AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -In 1665, Robert Hooke was the first to observe cork cells and their characteristic hexagonal shape, using the first optical microscope, which was invented by him at that time. With the evolution of imaging techniques, the structure of cork has been analysed with greater accuracy over time.

Detailed explanation-2: -Hooke detailed his observations of this tiny and previously unseen world in his book, Micrographia. To him, the cork looked as if it was made of tiny pores, which he came to call “cells” because they reminded him of the cells in a monastery.

Detailed explanation-3: -Beginning his experiments around 1658 he had made two significant steps by 1660, namely the use of a balance controlled by a spiral spring and an improved escapement called the anchor escapement. In 1660 he discovered an instance of Hooke’s law while working on designs for the balance springs of clocks.