Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
1632 – 1723 Dutch microbiologist
The father of microbiology, first to see bacteria and microbes.
- Religion
- Dutch Reformed Protestant, as standard; his work was observational.
- Affiliations
- Fellow of the Royal Society. No secret society.
A self-taught lens maker, van Leeuwenhoek built microscopes powerful enough to reveal a whole living world invisible before, from bacteria to sperm cells. He called the creatures animalcules and reported them to the Royal Society. He opened the microscopic realm to science.