Overview
- The author masterfully explains at an introductory level the coloring of insects and illustrates his points with over 240 brilliant figures
- Will be of great interest to those in the arts and the sciences alike
- Wonderful instructional resource as well
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Table of contents (13 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
Butterflies and coleoptera are the most beautifully colored insects we can find. This book wants to understand the origin of these brilliant colors from a physics perspective. The different physical phenomena are explained and numerous color illustrations shown. The book is a rich source for optical physicists, biologists, and teachers alike.
Reviews
From the reviews:
"Berthier is a professor of physics at the University of Paris Diderot–7 and researches biological structures, colors and biomimetics at Pierre and Marie Curie University. … If you want to see some wonderful photographs that show the intricate and delicate structures of insect wings, then Berthier’s book fit the bill." (George Kattawar, Physics Today, February, 2008)
"The colors of insects are amazing, and this book is a remarkable showcase for them. There are a lot of colorful insect photographs, micrographs and illustrations. The physics behind insect colors is explained in a simple and clear manner. … I read the book with interest and I recommend it to both physicists and biologists." (Dejan Pantelic, Optics and Photonics News, July/August, 2007)
"The book investigates the physical basis of color in nature … . This is a fascinating book … bringing together the interests of biologists and physicists. It is well written and succeeds in explaining physical principles and phenomena to the non-physicist. … The book is illustrated throughout with beautiful color images of the whole organism … . clearly designed graphs and diagrams assist in illustrating physical principles. … it will find its way into many university libraries – this book certainly deserves a broad audience." (Hannelore Hoch, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Vol. 56 (1), 2009)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Serge Berthier teaches physics at the Denis Diderot-Paris 7 University and researches biologic structures, colors and biomimetism at the Institut des NanoSciences de Paris ( Pierre and Marie Curie-Paris 6 University and CNRS). He teaches solid state optics in the post-graduate degree "Optics and material" and the post-graduate research degree "Optics and Photonic" for the Denis Diderot University. He also teaches electromagnetism and laser physics to undergraduates at the Paris-Jussieu Institut of Technology.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Iridescences
Book Subtitle: The Physical Colors of Insects
Authors: Serge Berthier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/b106784
Publisher: Springer New York, NY
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag New York 2007
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-387-34119-4
Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4939-3838-4
eBook ISBN: 978-0-387-34120-0
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: X, 160
Additional Information: Originally published in French by Springer Paris
Topics: Classical Electrodynamics, Invertebrates, Solid State Physics, Spectroscopy and Microscopy, Biological and Medical Physics, Biophysics