The discovery of microorganisms by Robert Hooke and Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek, fellows of the Royal Society

By the means of Telescopes, there is nothing so far distant but may be represented to our view; and by the help of Microscopes, there is nothing so small as to escape our inquiry; hence there is a new visible World discovered to the understanding. By this means the Heavens are open'd and a vast number of new Stars and new Motions, and new Productions appear in them, to which all the ancient Astronomers were utterly strangers. By this the Earth it self which lyes so neer to its, under our feet, shews quite a new thing to its, and in every little particle of its matter, we now behold almost as great a variety of Creatures, as we were able before to reckon up in the whole Universe itself.