What is light scattering?

Light scattering is a physical phenomenon where light deviates from a straight trajectory due to localized non-uniformities in the medium through which it passes. These non-uniformities can be variations in density, composition, or even microscopic particles. It is used in diverse fields such as atmospheric science (e.g., understanding sunsets), material science (e.g., characterizing particle size and distribution), and biomedical optics (e.g., detecting cancerous cells).