Do you think it is possible to understand life by using an electron microscope to study nonliving organisms?
if scientists spend their time studying things that are dead, are they really studying life?

For an electronic microscope to be effective, it works in vacuum so that the beam of electrons (the main source of illumination) is not scattered by air molecules. The specimen is placed in a vacuum chamber. Cells cannot survive in a vacuum hence only studied when dead in an electron microscope.

The disadvantage of studying dead cells is that they limit the understanding of cellular processes because they cannot be viewed in real-time. Studying live cells allows scientists to understand physiological changes of cells and their biological relevance.

explanation: grsaa

organisms that lack symmetry are called asymmetrical and belong to phylum porifera/sponges.

organisms with specialized stinging cells belong to phylum cnidaria. stinging cells are called cnidoblast cells.

cnidarians show two morphological forms : polyp (sessile) and medusa (mobile)

filter feeding is observed in porifera members.  

alternation of generation is observed in coelenterata or cnidaria. there is alternation of asexual polyp form and sexual medusoid form. it is also referred as metagenesis.