Question

Watch The Wacky History of the Cell Theory on you tube and then complete the following prompts:

1. In your opinion, what was the most wacky thing about the history of the cell theory?

2. Can you describe a time when collaboration worked well for you? Where there ever any disagreements that led to a false assumption (like cells spontaneously crystallizing into existence)?

3. Why is it called a scientific theory and not a scientific law or scientific principle?

Answer 1

1. According to my opinion, the most wacky thing about history of the cell theory is how Rudolf Virchow solved the dispute between Matthias Schleiden and Theodore Schwann regarding whether cells arise from pre- existing cells or not. It seemed funny to me as the cell theory which made Schleiden and Schwann work together created the dispute between them. The overall representation was a funny one with some useful information.

2. Collaboration always works well when the involved persons coming from different direction converge to a same point, i.e, collaboration always works when two different persons with different ideas or vision want to visualise the same thing. Here, Schleiden who worked with plant cells and Schwann who worked with animal cells, both came together to work and formulate cell theory because they had the same vision.

In my case, when I was a child, I collaborated perfectly with my mom while doing my project work for science exhibition. She is a science graduate and gave my ideas perfect twist and balance.

Yes, there were so many disagreements between my mom and me. But I learned from all of them. All those mistakes made me what I am. One such instance was when my mom told me that soil is not actually necessary for plant to grow. I disagreed with her as I could see each and every plant growing on soil. Then, on next day, she bought me an orchid plant and I was shocked to know that they did not require soil to grow.

3. The cell theory says that:

• All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
• The cell is the basic unit of structure and organization in organisms.
• Cells arise from pre-existing cells.

It is called a scientific theory and not a law as to be a law, a theory must be proved and globally accepted. A theory is merely a hypothesis which can be either true or false. Here, in this case, Cell Theory has two drawbacks-

• No one still is not sure how the first ever cell formed on earth.
• Viruses, which are not made up of cell, act as a living thing inside a host body.

Because of these two reasons, Cell Theory is a theory and not a law.