Cell theory is one of the most important ideas in biology. It says that all living things are made of cells, and all cells come from pre-existing cells. But this leads to a big question: Where did the first cell come from? If all cells come from other cells, how did the very first one exist?
This seems like a contradiction — but scientists have a good explanation. The rule that cells come from other cells applies only after life began. To explain how the first cell formed, scientists study theories like abiogenesis, which says life came from non-living molecules through chemical reactions.
Cell theory is still correct when it comes to modern life, where all cells reproduce through division. But the first cell had to come from something other than a cell — maybe from simple molecules that slowly became more complex.
So, the rule isn’t wrong — it just has a starting point. Science doesn’t have all the answers yet, but by asking bold questions like this, we get closer to solving one of the biggest mysteries of life.
July, 2025
