The Rainbow and the Worm: The Physics of Organisms

This book represents a serious, in-depth enquiry into Schroedinger's question, "What is Life?", and is, at the same time, a celebration of life itself. It takes the reader on a voyage of discovery through many areas of contemporary physics, from non-equilibrium thermodynamics to quantum optics, all necessary to illuminate the problem of life. In the process, the reader is treated to a rare view of the organism, gaining novel insights, not only into the physics, but also "the poetry and meaning of being alive". It is intended for all who love the subject.