"Leben ist die schonste Erfindung der Natur und der Tod ist ihr Kunstgriff, viel Leben zu haben" . J. W. v. Goethe Life is the most beautiful invention of nature, and death is her device to exhibit most life. The eminent British biologist Sir Vincent B. Wigglesworth noted in 1939 that insects are an ideal medium in which to study all problems of physiology. Many fundamental discoveries in biology, particularly genetics and development, have been made on the basis of studies conducted in insects. Because of their ex treme adaptability and diversity, an appropriate insect model is available for the study of virtually any biological problems. The applicability to other groups, including mammals, of basic studies conducted on insects has helped in the gradual acceptance of the fundamental unity of biochemical principles as a dogma among biologists, as well as among enlightened medical scientists. With the recent upsurge of interest in the study of the aging process, in sects have been increasingly employed not only for the investigation of basic mechanisms of aging, but also to gain insight into the evolution of aging and senescence. If only one aging mechanism exists, it is foreseeable that some in sects, especially Drosophila, will help to unravel its molecular basis. Because of their diversity, existing studies in the gerontology of insects are widely scat tered in various specialized journals. This wealth of existing information has not, as yet, been brought together in a synthesized and comprehensive form.

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This full-colour undergraduate textbook, based on a two semester course, presents the fundamentals of biological physics, introducing essential modern topics that include cells, polymers, polyelectrolytes, membranes, liquid crystals, phase transitions, self-assembly, photonics, fluid mechanics, motility, chemical kinetics, enzyme kinetics, systems biology, nerves, physiology, the senses, and the brain. The comprehensive coverage, featuring in-depth explanations of recent rapid developments, demonstrates this to be one of the most diverse of modern scientific disciplines. The Physics of Living Processes: A Mesoscopic Approach is comprised of five principal sections: • Building Blocks • Soft Condensed Matter Techniques in Biology • Experimental Techniques • Systems Biology • Spikes, Brains and the Senses The unique focus is predominantly on the mesoscale — structures on length scales between those of atoms and the macroscopic behaviour of whole organisms. The connections between molecules and their emergent biological phenomena provide a novel integrated perspective on biological physics, making this an important text across a variety of scientific disciplines including biophysics, physics, physical chemistry, chemical engineering and bioengineering. An extensive set of worked tutorial questions are included, which will equip the reader with a range of new physical tools to approach problems in the life sciences from medicine, pharmaceutical science and agriculture.