  Topological insulators are insulating in the bulk but feature conducting
states on their surfaces. Standard methods for probing their topological
properties largely involve probing the surface, even though topological
invariants are defined via the bulk band structure. Here, we utilize
non-hermiticy to experimentally demonstrate a topological transition in an
optical system, using bulk behavior only, without recourse to surface
properties. This concept is relevant for a wide range of systems beyond optics,
where the surface physics is difficult to probe.
