Robert Hooke (1635–1703) was an English scientist, natural philosopher, and architect who is best known for his contributions to various fields, including biology, physics, and astronomy. He is most famous for Hooke's Law, which describes the behavior of springs and elastic materials: it states that the force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to the distance it is stretched or compressed. In biology, Hooke made significant contributions to microscopy.
Articles by others on the same topic
Robert Hooke used microscopy to connect the visible properties of material with structures too small to inspect unaided. In Micrographia by Robert Hooke, his examination of cork revealed many tiny compartments, which he called cells. He related this architecture to the material's lightness, resistance to absorbing water and recovery after compression. The account records the specimen preparation, illumination and observed structure, making the instrument and viewing conditions part of the evidence for the interpretation of plant tissue.[ref]
Micrographia by Robert Hooke. Observation XVIII, cork structure and its proposed relation to material properties
Modern reconstructed portrait of Robert Hooke
. Rita Greer, 2006; modern imaginative reconstruction from written descriptions, not an authenticated lifetime likeness. Free Art License, artlibre.org/licence/lal/en/ . Wikimedia permission ticket 2009082810018211; no alteration other than display scaling. Source.