About the book:

The research into the processes of photosynthesis is not only a central part of plant physiology, it also, more than in any other field of research, brings together biologists, biochemists, chemists, and physicists. In the centre of the photosynthetic process, so critical to the development and the continuation of life, stand as the actual motors the photosystems with their light-gathering antennae, or in other words the Photosynthetic Unit. With their discovery in the 30s of our century began research of such detail in depth and width that it resulted in a volume which today can barely be mastered.
This book attempts to come up with a synthesis of all these individual research results. By retracing the historical development and composing an overview of the history of the ideas, we hope to offer the present-day active researcher that basis that is today even more urgently needed than ever before to successfully grasp the scientific inquest. The fact that in doing so, the circle drawn spans from the beginnings of photosynthesis research in the 18th century to the present-day scientific discussions, makes up the appeal and the difficulty of this endeavour. The book relates content as well as history of the research into the photosynthetic apparatus by not only presenting historical aspects but including and evaluating topical and the most recent literature.