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How Light Makes Life The Hidden Wonders and World-Saving Powers of Photosynthesis
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A revelatory journey of discovery into the intricate, beautiful, and often surprising processes that convert energy from the sun into life, and how all-important these are to our survival—and our planet’s future
It’s a clunky word for a miracle: Photosynthesis . But there’s no life on Earth without it. For biologist Raffael Jovine, it’s a consuming passion, a great unsung force of nature. He makes his case in How Light Makes Life , a catalog of living wonders—and a blueprint for a better planet.
Imagine harvesting pure sunlight to use as fuel, while turning carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen. This is what a leaf does every day. And photosynthesis isn’t just for plants: Corals partner with photosynthetic organisms to create the most productive habitat on Earth. Slugs eat chloroplasts as natural green camouflage. Hornets use photosynthesis as an innovative means of air-conditioning—and much more!
The revelatory vision of How Light Makes Life is how we ourselves might harness the power of photosynthesis: to repair ecosystems, stabilize the climate, and grow more food sustainably. On this vivid journey, you’ll see how every seed contains the key to our future—through the photosynthetic pigments in your own eyes!
Cover
Copyright
Title page
Contents
Prologue
Why write about photosynthesis?
Chapter 1: What Is Photosynthesis?
Discovery
Mystics, priests, and physicians
Feeding the masses, fueling the revolution
Chapter 2: Sun-Powered Changes to Earth
In the beginning
The “Great Oxygenation Event” (and a near-death moment)
Planetary rebound
The other essential ingredients for life
Chapter 3: The Photosynthesizers
Our new friends, bacterial photosynthesizers
Working together
Creating ecosystems
Not so tiny photosynthesizers
Why these new forms of photosynthesis matter
Chapter 4: The Planet's Very Thin and Living Veneer
Can we use photosynthesis to rebalance our world?
Chapter 5: Good News . . . And Bad
The agricultural miracle
Why wild animals matter
The opposite of an ice age
Why politics matters, too
Chapter 6: How Photosynthesis Can Save the World
The bottom line—or “what’s in it for us”
Bigger crops and “pastural care”
A revolutionary new product
Greening coastal deserts and other seaside tales
Can we improve photosynthesis?
Chapter 7: Harvest the Light
We can be the solution
Notes
Acknowledgments
Index
About the Author
Back cover
It’s a clunky word for a miracle: Photosynthesis . But there’s no life on Earth without it. For biologist Raffael Jovine, it’s a consuming passion, a great unsung force of nature. He makes his case in How Light Makes Life , a catalog of living wonders—and a blueprint for a better planet.
Imagine harvesting pure sunlight to use as fuel, while turning carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen. This is what a leaf does every day. And photosynthesis isn’t just for plants: Corals partner with photosynthetic organisms to create the most productive habitat on Earth. Slugs eat chloroplasts as natural green camouflage. Hornets use photosynthesis as an innovative means of air-conditioning—and much more!
The revelatory vision of How Light Makes Life is how we ourselves might harness the power of photosynthesis: to repair ecosystems, stabilize the climate, and grow more food sustainably. On this vivid journey, you’ll see how every seed contains the key to our future—through the photosynthetic pigments in your own eyes!
Cover
Copyright
Title page
Contents
Prologue
Why write about photosynthesis?
Chapter 1: What Is Photosynthesis?
Discovery
Mystics, priests, and physicians
Feeding the masses, fueling the revolution
Chapter 2: Sun-Powered Changes to Earth
In the beginning
The “Great Oxygenation Event” (and a near-death moment)
Planetary rebound
The other essential ingredients for life
Chapter 3: The Photosynthesizers
Our new friends, bacterial photosynthesizers
Working together
Creating ecosystems
Not so tiny photosynthesizers
Why these new forms of photosynthesis matter
Chapter 4: The Planet's Very Thin and Living Veneer
Can we use photosynthesis to rebalance our world?
Chapter 5: Good News . . . And Bad
The agricultural miracle
Why wild animals matter
The opposite of an ice age
Why politics matters, too
Chapter 6: How Photosynthesis Can Save the World
The bottom line—or “what’s in it for us”
Bigger crops and “pastural care”
A revolutionary new product
Greening coastal deserts and other seaside tales
Can we improve photosynthesis?
Chapter 7: Harvest the Light
We can be the solution
Notes
Acknowledgments
Index
About the Author
Back cover
Listed on 21 October, 2024