Quantum Biology
Superposition, Tunneling and Entanglement: Oh My!
Superposition in a spider’s eye; entanglement in an eggplant; and tunneling in a toadstool. What can this possibly be about? What kind of world do we live in? You’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!
For a few months now, I've been trying to wrap my head around quantum this or that--a conceptual challenge towards explaining "reality" in terms of the parts of the parts of the parts instead of the wholes--tables, cats, stars--that we experience with our senses. It is the mental equivalent of trying to assemble a pocket watch while wearing oven mittens. Few if any of us have had the ultimate AHA!
Richard Feynman said "If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you DON'T understand quantum mechanics." Thanks for the encouragement, Dick.
But now--a century after the quantum concept was introduced, more and more instances of quantum reality are being identified, reframing the world as we have mis-understood it. New potential applications (like quantum computing) lie just beyond our grasp today but will be here by our children’s tomorrow.
This quantum renaissance seems inevitable, bringing future empowerments across all realms of life--in psychology, physics, chemistry, and even in biology.
So as a biology-watcher, I’ve been intrigued to learn that there is something known as QUANTUM BIOLOGY or QUANTUM BIOPHYSICS. This field suspects, purports to find or has identified quantum phenomena behind quite a number of tough nuts of molecular biology with real-life consequences.
Quantum phenomena are thought or known to be involved in these living processes:
1. Bird Migration
2. Photosynthesis
3. Enzyme action
4. DNA mutations
5. Human (and other) consciousness
6. Smell
7. And possibly the origin of life itself
Keep in mind that the study of quanta and their application in quantum computers must occur at very very low temperatures that rule out "noise" from the environment, while QUANTUM BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES happen at ambient temperatures compatible with living cells, tissues and creatures, in "a warm liquid soup of disorder." Quantum physics, up close and personal.
The growing appreciation for the universal underpinnings of quantum reality seems to hold potential promise for the unification of physics, mathematics and now, biology.
Shakespeare put these words into the mouth of Hamlet: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
Humanity's emerging quantum tools seem set to rapidly expand our philosophies, and vastly increase our power over nature. What are we destined to find and make use of in Pandora's Box of Bits, for good or ill?
RESOURCES
Kathy, it's possible I might have in the past sent you a link to a DRAFT blog post before it was published, in which case comments would not be available. Most users will access post directly via email, so commenting should be apparent and easy. Here's hoping.
When I access your blog as an email, the comment icon was very apparent. When I got to your blog through another link, in a prior email, the only option was to like.