Optics is the study of the behavior and properties of light, including its interaction with matter and its various wave and particle behaviors. One of the most fundamental concepts in optics is the wave-particle duality of light, which describes how light can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior.

Optics encompasses a wide range of phenomena and applications, including reflection and refraction, interference and diffraction, polarization, and optical coherence. It has many important applications in areas such as astronomy, microscopy, telecommunications, and laser technology and has contributed to important discoveries in diverse fields ranging from biology and medicine to materials science and quantum physics.

The development of new optical technologies, such as high-resolution microscopy, precision spectroscopy, and optical sensing, continues to drive research in optics and its applications.