A student claims that, according to theory, the cell is the basic unit of life, and all cells are created spontaneously. Is this student correct?

Answer 1

No, the student is not entirely correct. According to the cell theory, which is a fundamental principle in biology, cells are indeed considered the basic unit of life. However, cells do not arise spontaneously. The theory states that cells arise only from pre-existing cells through cell division. This means that new cells are formed by the division of existing cells, rather than being created spontaneously. This principle was established by scientists Schleiden, Schwann, and Virchow in the mid-19th century.