Quantum biology
Encyclopedia
Quantum biology refers to applications of quantum mechanics
to biological objects and problems. Usually, it is taken to refer to applications of the "non-trivial" quantum features such as superposition
, nonlocality
, entanglement
and tunneling, as opposed to the "trivial" applications such as chemical bonding which apply to biology only indirectly by dictating quantum chemistry
.
Erwin Schrödinger
is one of the first scientists to suggest a study of quantum biology in his 1946 book "What is Life?
"
, transfer of excitation energy
, and the transfer of electrons and protons (hydrogen ion
s) in chemical processes such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Quantum biology uses computation to model biological interactions in light of quantum mechanical effects.
Some examples of the biological phenomena that have been studied in terms of quantum processes are the absorbance of frequency
-specific radiation
(i.e., photosynthesis
and vision
); the conversion of chemical energy
into motion; magnetoreception in animals and brownian motor
s in many cellular processes.
Starting from Maturana and Varela's theory of autopoiesis, a speculative discussion about the role of quantum effects in the physical processes underlying the phenomenon of
life has been presented in 2009.
Recent studies have identified quantum coherence and entanglement
between the excited states of different pigments in the light-harvesting stage of photosynthesis
. Although this stage of photosynthesis is highly efficient, it remains unclear exactly how or if these quantum effects are relevant biologically.
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
to biological objects and problems. Usually, it is taken to refer to applications of the "non-trivial" quantum features such as superposition
Quantum superposition
Quantum superposition is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics. It holds that a physical system exists in all its particular, theoretically possible states simultaneously; but, when measured, it gives a result corresponding to only one of the possible configurations.Mathematically, it...
, nonlocality
Nonlocality
In Classical physics, nonlocality is the direct influence of one object on another, distant object. In Quantum mechanics, nonlocality refers to the absence of a local, realist model in agreement with quantum mechanical predictions.Nonlocality may refer to:...
, entanglement
Quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement occurs when electrons, molecules even as large as "buckyballs", photons, etc., interact physically and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that each resulting member of a pair is properly described by the same quantum mechanical description , which is...
and tunneling, as opposed to the "trivial" applications such as chemical bonding which apply to biology only indirectly by dictating quantum chemistry
Quantum chemistry
Quantum chemistry is a branch of chemistry whose primary focus is the application of quantum mechanics in physical models and experiments of chemical systems...
.
Erwin Schrödinger
Erwin Schrödinger
Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger was an Austrian physicist and theoretical biologist who was one of the fathers of quantum mechanics, and is famed for a number of important contributions to physics, especially the Schrödinger equation, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1933...
is one of the first scientists to suggest a study of quantum biology in his 1946 book "What is Life?
What is life?
What is Life and similar may refer to:* "What is Life", a song by George Harrison* What Is Life?, a book by Nobel laureate Erwin Schrödinger, in which he tries to answer the question in physical/chemical terms...
"
Applications
Many biological processes involve the conversion of energy into forms that are usable for chemical transformations and are quantum mechanical in nature. Such processes involve chemical reactions, light absorption, formation of excited electronic statesExcited state
Excitation is an elevation in energy level above an arbitrary baseline energy state. In physics there is a specific technical definition for energy level which is often associated with an atom being excited to an excited state....
, transfer of excitation energy
Exciton
An exciton is a bound state of an electron and hole which are attracted to each other by the electrostatic Coulomb force. It is an electrically neutral quasiparticle that exists in insulators, semiconductors and some liquids...
, and the transfer of electrons and protons (hydrogen ion
Hydrogen ion
Hydrogen ion is recommended by IUPAC as a general term for all ions of hydrogen and its isotopes.Depending on the charge of the ion, two different classes can be distinguished: positively charged ions and negatively charged ions....
s) in chemical processes such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Quantum biology uses computation to model biological interactions in light of quantum mechanical effects.
Some examples of the biological phenomena that have been studied in terms of quantum processes are the absorbance of frequency
Frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time. It is also referred to as temporal frequency.The period is the duration of one cycle in a repeating event, so the period is the reciprocal of the frequency...
-specific radiation
Electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space...
(i.e., photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
and vision
Visual system
The visual system is the part of the central nervous system which enables organisms to process visual detail, as well as enabling several non-image forming photoresponse functions. It interprets information from visible light to build a representation of the surrounding world...
); the conversion of chemical energy
Chemical energy
Chemical energy is the potential of a chemical substance to undergo a transformation through a chemical reaction or, to transform other chemical substances...
into motion; magnetoreception in animals and brownian motor
Brownian motor
Brownian motors are nano-scale or molecular devices by which thermally activated processes are controlled and used to generate directed motion in space and to do mechanical or electrical work...
s in many cellular processes.
Starting from Maturana and Varela's theory of autopoiesis, a speculative discussion about the role of quantum effects in the physical processes underlying the phenomenon of
life has been presented in 2009.
Recent studies have identified quantum coherence and entanglement
Quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement occurs when electrons, molecules even as large as "buckyballs", photons, etc., interact physically and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that each resulting member of a pair is properly described by the same quantum mechanical description , which is...
between the excited states of different pigments in the light-harvesting stage of photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
. Although this stage of photosynthesis is highly efficient, it remains unclear exactly how or if these quantum effects are relevant biologically.
Further reading
- Derek AbbottDerek AbbottDerek Abbott is a physicist and electronic engineer. He is a Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Adelaide, Australia...
, Julio Gea-BanaclocheJulio Gea-BanaclocheJulio Gea-Banacloche is Professor of Physics and currently the Head of Department of Physics at the University of Arkansas...
, Paul C. W. Davies, Stuart HameroffStuart HameroffStuart Hameroff is an anesthesiologist and professor at the University of Arizona known for his scientific studies of consciousness.-Career:...
, Anton ZeilingerAnton ZeilingerAnton Zeilinger is an Austrian quantum physicist. He is currently professor of physics at the University of Vienna, previously University of Innsbruck. He is also the director of the Vienna branch of the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information IQOQI at the Austrian Academy of Sciences...
, Jens EisertJens EisertJens Eisert, born October 9, 1970, is a physicist notable as one of the co-pioneers of quantum game theory with Maciej Lewensteinand PhD advisor Martin Wilkens.He is also known for his research in quantum information science and related fields....
, Howard M. WisemanHoward M. WisemanHoward Mark Wiseman is a theoretical quantum physicist notable for his work on quantum feedback control, quantum measurements, quantum information, fundamental questions in quantum mechanics, and open quantum systems.- Early life :...
, Sergey M. BezrukovSergey M. BezrukovSergey M. Bezrukov is a biophysicist notable for his work on ion channels and stochastic resonance.-Education:He received his MS in Electronics and Theoretical Physics fromSaint Petersburg Polytechnical University, 1973; and he obtained his PhD under...
, and Hans FrauenfelderHans FrauenfelderHans Frauenfelder was born June 28, 1922 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. He is notable for his1951 discovery of perturbed angular correlation . Today, PAC spectroscopy is widely used in thestudy of condensed-matter physics.-Education:...
, "Plenary debate: quantum effects in biology―trivial or not?" Fluctuation and Noise Letters, 8(1), pp. C5–C26, 2008. - Philip Ball, "Physics of life: The dawn of quantum biology," Nature 474 (2011), 272-274.
- P.C.W. Davies, "Does quantum mechanics play a non-trivial role in life?" BioSystems, 78, pp. 69–79, 2004.
- Ogryzko VV. "Erwin Schroedinger, Francis Crick and epigenetic stability". Biol Direct. 3, pp. 15, 2008. http://www.biology-direct.com/content/3/1/15
- Erwin SchrödingerErwin SchrödingerErwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger was an Austrian physicist and theoretical biologist who was one of the fathers of quantum mechanics, and is famed for a number of important contributions to physics, especially the Schrödinger equation, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1933...
. What is Life?, Cambridge, 1944. - M. TegmarkMax TegmarkMax Tegmark is a Swedish-American cosmologist. Tegmark is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and belongs to the scientific directorate of the Foundational Questions Institute.-Early life:...
, "Why the brain is probably not a quantum computer," Information Sciences, 128, pp. 155–179, 2000.