SEMINAR: Animal mirrors and mirror optics

Animals are often highly reflective - the skin of silvery fish and the eye shine of a cat are familiar examples. But animals make mirrors in a way very different from us: they cannot deposit metal films and, instead, rely on arranging stacks of transparent materials to make their reflectors.

I will describe some of our new research on how this works, and a present a study of the evolution of mirror optics in an extraordinary group of deep sea fish.

Biography,

Julian Partridge is a zoologist with a background in sensory biology, particularly vision, and a research profile that encompasses molecular biology, physiology, marine biology (especially in the deep sea, with ocean going ships, benthic landers and submersibles), computer modelling and the development of unusual equipment for imaging and measuring light.

After 30 years based at the University of Bristol, UK, he moved to Perth and UWA, arriving in October 2013. He retains a part time post in Bristol as Professor of Zoology but has research projects in Animal Biology and the Oceans Institute at UWA. He is also responsible for several units within UWA’s Science Communication undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

PS* This seminar is free and open to the public & no RSVP required.

****All Welcome****