The Optics of Life: A Biologist's Guide to Light in Nature

Biological optics is an interesting and enjoyable area to study. However, it does require some prior knowledge of the basic principles of optics. 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.

Review by Christian Brosseau, OSA Fellow and professor of physics at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, France.

The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.