Life
1851-1931 (79 years old)
Country
Netherlands
Year of great discovery/work
1898
With his discovery of the difference between bacteria and viruses, Beijerinck founded the field of virology while also realizing that viruses could only replicate in cells. He was also a botanist, which ultimately directed his work toward studying the different types of bacteria in soil. Because he tended to study more plant microorganisms rather than medical bacteriology, he was not as well know as he may have been.
Did you know?
Botanists study all plants—from tiny ones that you can hardly see to giant trees!
Botanists study all plants—from tiny ones that you can hardly see to giant trees!