Intro -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Author biography -- Benjamin de Mayo -- Chapter 1 Introduction to waves -- 1.1 Vibrations and waves -- 1.2 Energy and information -- 1.2.1 Energy -- 1.2.2 Transducers -- 1.2.3 Information -- Chapter 2 The ear -- 2.1 Parts of the ear -- 2.2 Other ears and the non-acoustic labyrinth -- 2.2.1 Statocysts and equilibrium -- 2.2.2 The non-acoustic labyrinth -- 2.2.3 The lateral line -- 2.2.4 Fish air bladders -- 2.2.5 Amphibian ears -- 2.2.6 Bird ears -- 2.2.7 Insect ears -- 2.2.8 Other mammal ears -- 2.3 The sound spectrum -- 2.4 Aids to hearing -- 2.4.1 Ear trumpets -- 2.4.2 Digital hearing aids -- 2.4.3 Cochlear implants -- 2.4.4 Gene therapy for hearing loss -- Chapter 3 The eye -- 3.1 The electromagnetic spectrum -- 3.1.1 Gamma rays -- 3.1.2 X-rays -- 3.1.3 Ultraviolet -- 3.1.4 Visible light -- 3.1.5 Infrared -- 3.1.6 Microwaves -- 3.1.7 Radio waves -- 3.1.8 Spectral response -- 3.2 Parts of the eye -- 3.3 Other eyes -- 3.3.1 Euglena -- 3.3.2 Planaria -- 3.3.3 Chambered nautilus -- 3.3.4 Eye types -- 3.3.5 Copilia -- 3.3.6 Insects -- 3.3.7 Mantis shrimp eyes -- 3.3.8 Largest eye sizes -- 3.3.9 The nictitating membrane -- 3.3.10 Rotating pupils -- Chapter 4 Wave properties -- 4.1 Reflection -- 4.2 Absorption -- 4.3 Refraction -- 4.3.1 Total internal reflection -- 4.3.2 Refracting lenses -- 4.3.3 Mirages -- 4.3.4 Supercritical refraction -- 4.3.5 Dispersion -- 4.4 Diffraction and interference -- 4.5 The Electron microscope and quantum physics -- 4.6 Cherenkov radiation: faster than light -- Chapter 5 Hearing: the perception of sound -- 5.1 Sound intensity -- 5.2 Tones -- 5.2.1 Frequency and pitch -- 5.2.2 Musical scales -- 5.3 Musical instruments -- 5.3.1 Vibrating strings -- 5.3.2 Reed instruments -- 5.3.3 Percussion instruments -- 5.4 Resonance -- 5.5 The loudest sounds.

5.5.1 The loudest natural sounds due to non-living sources -- 5.5.2 The loudest animals -- 5.5.3 The loudest sounds produced by humans -- Chapter 6 Vision and the perception of light and color -- 6.1 Light intensity -- 6.2 Blindness prevention -- 6.3 Color -- 6.4 Other aspects of vision -- 6.4.1 Color blindness -- 6.4.2 Stereo -- 6.4.3 Optical illusions -- 6.5 New developments -- 6.5.1 Retinal implants -- 6.5.2 Gene therapy for blindness -- 6.5.3 Augmented vision systems -- 6.5.4 Synthetic vision -- 6.6 Other effects of light -- 6.6.1 Hyperbilirubinemia -- 6.6.2 Seasonal affective disorder -- 6.6.3 The parietal eye -- Chapter 7 Conclusions.