Light to Life

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book.

Listen to a sample

What to expect

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 life: 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 future: 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.

(P)Octopus Books 2021

Critics Review

  • ‘This book is about the magic of photosynthesis and how plants and algae turn sunlight into energy to make life on this planet possible. Read it and you will learn how photosynthesis was discovered, how it works, and how we can produce more food to feed the world.’

    What is Life?
  • ‘Photosynthesis is not only remarkable, it is the foundation of who we are and the lives we can lead. This outstanding book shows that it is also fascinating, inspirational, and the key to building a sustainable future.’

    LORD STERN, IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government and Chair of the Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.