Optics--a field of physics focusing on the study of light--is also central to many areas of biology, including vision, ecology, botany, animal behavior, neurobiology, and molecular biology. The Optics of Life introduces the fundamentals of optics to biologists and nonphysicists, giving them the tools they need to successfully incorporate optical measurements and principles into their research. Sonke Johnsen starts with the basics, describing the properties of light and the units and geometry of measurement. He then explores how light is created and propagates and how it interacts with matter, covering topics such as absorption, scattering, fluorescence, and polarization. Johnsen also provides a tutorial on how to measure light as well as an informative discussion of quantum mechanics.
The Optics of Life features a host of examples drawn from nature and everyday life, and several appendixes that offer further practical guidance for researchers. This concise book uses a minimum of equations and jargon, explaining the basic physics of light in a succinct and lively manner. It is the essential primer for working biologists and for anyone seeking an accessible introduction to optics.
Industry Reviews
One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2012 "Because of its emphasis on correctly approaching the way physical measurements should be made, The Optics of Life has something to offer anyone whose research directly or tangentially involves light. More than a biologist's guide to light in nature, this book is a guide for any scientist interested in optics and the world around us."--Physics Today "Johnsen has written an excellent, readable, practical, and greatly entertaining introductory book on light and its applications in the biological sciences, including ecology... Johnsen takes the point of view that some aspects of light are best described using the ideas from wave mechanics while other aspects are best addressed using particle mechanics."--Choice "This book is written in an entertaining style so it is a pleasure to read. Each chapter starts with a thought-provoking quote, and ends with an amusing and interesting anecdote or reverie. My favorite chapters contain illuminating discussions on scattering, scattering with interference, absorbance, and transparency."--John E. Steffen, Integrative and Comparative Biology "[V]isual ecology and physiology have become significantly productive subdisciplines in biology... S?nke Johnsen serves as a conduit between these two fields, as he gracefully presents the physical principles of optics in a simplifying manner that makes the reader want to apply new found knowledge to their own research."--John E. Steffen, Integrative and Comparative Biology "Anyone interested in this subfield who lacks a background in the subject would be well-advised to read this book first. Johnsen masterfully guides the reader through a fascinating area of applied optics which has been very active in recent decades. It contains many useful examples drawn from nature and everyday life. It will be of interest to a variety of readers, from undergraduate students in biology to curious researchers looking for a greater understanding of nature."--Christian Brosseau, Optics & Photonics News "I am grateful to this book for forcing me to come to terms with a number of aspects of light that I had been delinquent enough to ignore, and in a way that was a pleasure--like a long walk in hilly country."--Michael F. Land, Current Biology "[W]hat Johnsen knows and communicates clearly is fundamental and important to life. It seems to me that ornithologists who read this book and master this material will be well poised to make the next generation of discoveries about the Optics of Ornithology."--Richard O. Prum, Wilson Journal of Ornithology
