The discovery and recognition of cells is attributed to the English scientist Robert Hooke. In 1665, Hooke published a book titled "Micrographia," in which he described his observations through a microscope. In this book, he coined the term "cell" to describe the small, box-like structures he observed in a thin slice of cork. Hooke's discovery of cells marked the beginning of modern cell biology and our understanding of the basic units of life.