There are already several comments here from people who are knowledgeable on the topic, so I might not be fully correct in the following: I think x-ray crystal

There are already several comments here from people who are knowledgeable on the topic, so I might not be fully correct in the following: I think x-ray crystallography applies similar techniques to try to work backwards from an image of diffracted light to the crystallized molecular structure that would have created the (transform) of light to yield the image. For example, you have some compound, say DNA, and want to know its molecular shape. I think one of the methods that Rosalind Franklin and company used was to take crystallized DNA, shoot x-rays at it, and study the resulting diffraction pattern(s) to determine that DNA had to be a helical structure with atoms bonding at such and such angles. And if that's not clear enough I hope it doesn't escape you to note that it immediately suggests a mechanism for DNA replication hah. That's hastily written and just tying random facts from undergrad so feel free to correct/add/disprove at will I am sure there are some commenters who know way more in much more detail. I do miss the full time learning days!