"The Physics of Vision: From Light to Neural Signals"
The physics of vision intricately intertwines the journey of light through the eye with the complex neural processes that underlie perception. It begins with the refraction of light by the cornea and lens, which focuses incoming rays onto the retina's photoreceptor cells. These cells, known as rods and cones, absorb photons and transduce them into electrochemical signals. From there, these signals travel along the optic nerve to the brain's visual cortex, where they are decoded into meaningful images. This seamless cascade from the physics of light to the transmission of neural signals underscores the remarkable synergy between optics and neuroscience in the fascinating process of sight.