Life and Light
We know that abundant light from the sun has vitally promoted biological activities in various ways, and even changed human attitudes and emotions. Let's see how the light stimulus has really made an impact on the epic history of life.
A light-reflective star—A snowball Earth
It is thought that the Earth was once an ice-covered “snowball.” How did this harsh environment affect the evolution of life?
Life that glows in the sea
Many sea creatures have the ability to emit light. How do they do this and for what purpose? Here we explain these peculiar luminescent abilities.
The butterfly’s colored spectacles
The butterfly has a compound eye composed of many facets. Illuminating light on this eye revealed that there are three kinds of colors in the beautiful reflecting light. How is it that the butterfly perceives a much more complex and richly colored world?
The male gene
How does differentiation between the two sexes occur? The male gene reveals the existence of genes that determine sex.
Transparent tissue—the lens of the eye
The lens of the eye is made up of transparent tissue due to two factors: first, the cells that comprise it are transparent, and second, these cells are arranged in a regular configuration. Studies into why the lens of the eye is transparent are shedding light on the fundamental workings of living organisms.