Presents a multi-disciplinary perspective on the physics of life and the particular role played by lipids and the lipid-bilayer component of cell membranes.

Emphasizes the physical properties of lipid membranes seen as soft and molecularly structured interfaces.

By combining and synthesizing insights obtained from a variety of recent studies, an attempt is made to clarify what membrane structure is and how it can be quantitatively described.

Shows how biological function mediated by membranes is controlled by lipid membrane structure and organization on length scales ranging from the size of the individual molecule, across molecular assemblies of proteins and lipid domains in the range of nanometers, to the size of whole cells.

Applications of lipids in nano-technology and biomedicine are also described.

The Overlooked Molecules.- Life from Molecules.- Head and Tail.- Oil and Water.- Lipids Speak the Language of Curvature.- A Matter of Softness.- Soft Shells Shape Up.- Biological Membranes ¿ Models and Fashion.- Prologue: Lipidomics ¿ A Science Beyond Stamp Collection.- Lipids Make Sense.- Lipids in Bilayers ¿ A Stressful Life.- The More We Are Together.- Lipids in Flatland.- Social Lipids.- Lively Lipids Provide for Function.- Proteins at Lipid Mattresses.- Lipids in Action.- Cholesterol on the Scene.- Lipids in Charge.- Being Smart ¿ A Fishy Matter of Fat.- Liquor and Drugs ¿ As a Matter of Fat.- Lipid Eaters.- Powerful and Strange Lipids at Work.- Survival by Lipids.