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Light to Life: The miracle of photosynthesis and how it can save the planet
Putting the Earth under a microscope, this book shines a light on one of the most powerful and unsung forces of nature... . "Read this book and you will learn how photosynthesis was discovered, how it works, and how we can produce more food to feed the world." -
PAUL NURSE ,
Nobel Prize winner and author of What is Life?
In Light to Life , biologist Raffael Jovine takes us on a 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.
Despite the unprecedented challenges the Earth faces from global warming, habitat loss, air pollution and population growth; Jovine shows us that there is hope to be found. Photosynthesis is the very source of it has the power not just to produce food, but to reshape continents, drive biogeochemical cycles, stabilise the climate and regulate weather.
In this exciting, revelatory book, Jovine unveils a blueprint for the greening the desert, bringing the ocean on land, planting mangrove forests and oyster banks, growing algae for animal feed, human food and soil carbon... He demonstrates how by harnessing photosynthesis we can regenerate the planet and revise the way we human beings interact with it.
This book will help you to see the world in a different way, in all its wonderful detail - through the photosynthetic pigments in your eyes.
PAUL NURSE ,
Nobel Prize winner and author of What is Life?
In Light to Life , biologist Raffael Jovine takes us on a 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.
Despite the unprecedented challenges the Earth faces from global warming, habitat loss, air pollution and population growth; Jovine shows us that there is hope to be found. Photosynthesis is the very source of it has the power not just to produce food, but to reshape continents, drive biogeochemical cycles, stabilise the climate and regulate weather.
In this exciting, revelatory book, Jovine unveils a blueprint for the greening the desert, bringing the ocean on land, planting mangrove forests and oyster banks, growing algae for animal feed, human food and soil carbon... He demonstrates how by harnessing photosynthesis we can regenerate the planet and revise the way we human beings interact with it.
This book will help you to see the world in a different way, in all its wonderful detail - through the photosynthetic pigments in your eyes.
- GenresNonfictionScience
224 pages, Hardcover
Published June 29, 2021
4 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 10, 2023
Me compré este libro de fotosíntesis pensando que el libro iba a tratar temas de fotosíntesis. Resulta ser que no leí mucho sobre fotosíntesis!! :0
Aunque puede ser que solo fui víctima de la portada y la descripción, Jovine no me convenció mucho. No estoy en desacuerdo con sus puntos, pero me perdió cuando sus párrafos empezaban a tomar tono de sermón. Este efecto se sentía más fuerte cada vez que usaba un adjetivo cargado, generalizaba, o usaba pronombres plurales. Me sentí más regañada que educada ya que aprendí que para solucionar la crisis ambiental ✨“we can all grow more photosynthetic biomass”✨!!!! Para leer algo así por algo existe Instagram.
****tal vez estaba exagerando y me puse brava porque no aprendí lo que quería aprender. En verdad si no sabes mucho de fisiología vegetal este libro es un excelente lugar para empezar. Solo que si estudias bio o llevas rato leyendo muchos libros de ciencia esto no es para ti :)
Aunque puede ser que solo fui víctima de la portada y la descripción, Jovine no me convenció mucho. No estoy en desacuerdo con sus puntos, pero me perdió cuando sus párrafos empezaban a tomar tono de sermón. Este efecto se sentía más fuerte cada vez que usaba un adjetivo cargado, generalizaba, o usaba pronombres plurales. Me sentí más regañada que educada ya que aprendí que para solucionar la crisis ambiental ✨“we can all grow more photosynthetic biomass”✨!!!! Para leer algo así por algo existe Instagram.
****tal vez estaba exagerando y me puse brava porque no aprendí lo que quería aprender. En verdad si no sabes mucho de fisiología vegetal este libro es un excelente lugar para empezar. Solo que si estudias bio o llevas rato leyendo muchos libros de ciencia esto no es para ti :)
July 16, 2021
I never expected a book on photosynthesis to make me laugh or cheer me up. Raffael Jovine is a natural storyteller (and perhaps a more glamorous incarnation of Professor Branestawm). With roasting temperatures in the Arctic Circle and flash floods killing nearly a hundred people this week in Germany the reality of global climate change is undeniable. But Jovine’s genius is that he takes the reader’s (in my case, ignorant) hand and takes us on a guided tour of everything you ever wanted to know about photosynthesis and never even knew that you did. With pitstops along the way about the idiosyncratic scientist who unravelled photosynthesis for us, the centrality of photosynthesis for all life, including ours, and fuel for everything on the planet (I for one never used to think of fossil fuels as products of photosynthesis, but there we are), the abundance of photosynthesizing life forms and their possible utility, the untapped power of photosynthesis to clean and rebalance the planet, the challenge ahead in rebalancing the world, and because it is the only thing that will make people listen the monetary value of photosynthesis via the NPP or Net Primary Productivity which ‘is about as emotive as a bag of sand’ (p.161) or Jovine’s preferred ViU for Vitality Unit i.e. life giving unit. And then he concludes with suggestions of what we can do.
This is the first ‘science’ book that I have read since the Desmond Morris’ Naked Ape a half century ago, which despite my interest was a slog. Yet this was a joy. I learned a lot and it did not send me scuttling back under a rock on the seashore to hide but made me realise that there is a lot I and everyone can do to turn the tide, through small acts and changes in policy, manufacturing and lifestyle. Now when I dig a hole for my garden I am conscious of it as a environmental imperative, we can all green our world in little ways, Jovine’s book argues forcefully for the necessity and the ease of capturing that solar energy through the brilliance of biological processes: photosynthesis.
Most people probably take photosynthesis for granted, we should not, we should be nurturing it. If everyone read this book and acted on it, the world really would be a better place.
See more on the mad scientist who wrote this: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ca...
This is the first ‘science’ book that I have read since the Desmond Morris’ Naked Ape a half century ago, which despite my interest was a slog. Yet this was a joy. I learned a lot and it did not send me scuttling back under a rock on the seashore to hide but made me realise that there is a lot I and everyone can do to turn the tide, through small acts and changes in policy, manufacturing and lifestyle. Now when I dig a hole for my garden I am conscious of it as a environmental imperative, we can all green our world in little ways, Jovine’s book argues forcefully for the necessity and the ease of capturing that solar energy through the brilliance of biological processes: photosynthesis.
Most people probably take photosynthesis for granted, we should not, we should be nurturing it. If everyone read this book and acted on it, the world really would be a better place.
See more on the mad scientist who wrote this: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ca...
February 2, 2022
The problem with this book can be summed up in one word, Rubisco. Rubisco is the enzyme which facilitates photosynthesis , and literally billions of dollars have been spent to improve its function in plants. A quick check of the index shows the author mentions Rubisco a total of zero times.
While I understand the desire to keep this book on the popular science shelf , I am not sure you can write a book on photosynthesis without writing a bit more about .....well..... photosynthesis. Instead we get a well written book about food systems and natures ability to capture carbon, which is fine and could have been 4 stars if he hadn't gone with the slightly misleading title and blurb.
While I understand the desire to keep this book on the popular science shelf , I am not sure you can write a book on photosynthesis without writing a bit more about .....well..... photosynthesis. Instead we get a well written book about food systems and natures ability to capture carbon, which is fine and could have been 4 stars if he hadn't gone with the slightly misleading title and blurb.
September 30, 2022
A little to much a pamflet.
June 29, 2023
A goodread to understand the role photosynthesis plays at a macroscopic level, in terms of influencing its environment and shaping the course of development. It lays out a wide ecosystem of photosynthesisers and a who's who.
For me I was also seeking another primer and explanation of the process of photosynthesis and how we can improve, harness, and tap into the effect at the individual organism level. It felt obvious to suggest can grow more trees, but the little known power of Algae was eye opening.
But im curious what solutions the intersection of genes, evolution and photosynthesis might yield.
For me I was also seeking another primer and explanation of the process of photosynthesis and how we can improve, harness, and tap into the effect at the individual organism level. It felt obvious to suggest can grow more trees, but the little known power of Algae was eye opening.
But im curious what solutions the intersection of genes, evolution and photosynthesis might yield.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews