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Would it be surprising if evolution managed to exploit quantum mechanics for function? It did exploit everything else. There is also a theory that quantum mech

Would it be surprising if evolution managed to exploit quantum mechanics for function? It did exploit everything else. There is also a theory that quantum mechanics plays a role in olfaction[1]. [1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibration_theory_of_olfaction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibration_theory_of_olfaction>

moralestapia 2y ago
It plays a role in photosynthesis, I don't have the reference at hand (I'm on my phone), but that one is 100% verified.
- dekhn 2y ago
  You can start at https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2023/06/14/photosynthesis-key-to-life-on-earth-starts-with-a-single-photon/ https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2023/06/14/photosynthesis-key-to-... and https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/PBD-quantum-secrets.html https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/PBD-quantum-se... and use the names in those articles to pull up the relevant literature.
dekhn 2y ago
There are several biological processes for which we're fairly certain that some quantum mechanical process is exploited. Strictly speaking, everything about biology is ultimately explained by quantum chemistry and physics, but not in a particularly exciting way. However, I don't think anybody has found any concrete evidence that any process in biology exploits entanglement. Instead, the examples we've seen so far are mostly around tunnelling, and coherency. People argue a lot about the "meaning of quantum" but nearly all the arguing is about the behavior of entanglement and wavefunction collapse. Tunnelling and coherency are pretty banal QM phenomena at this point. As for Sabine... I don't find her popular science vides about biology to be particularly enlightening or accurate.
greyface- 2y ago
It would be surprising if it didn't. Why would an evolutionary process avoid searching through mechanisms that involve quantum effects?
- novaRom 2y ago
  Quantum effects are everywhere: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_biology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_biology
kumiy 2y ago
I honestly think that mosquitoes might be already exploiting a quantum effect while flying. For example, when you're not looking at them directly or when they fly in a chaotic manner to avoid being seen, they seem to disappear and reappear in different locations, traveling through space-time.
bullfightonmars 2y ago
Not at all! There is evidence of quantum effects in the light harvesting complexes in chlorophyll that operate at ambient temperatures. This appears to be a key element to the efficiency of guiding photons to the photosystem.
lll-o-lll 2y ago
Didn’t Thunderf00t perform an experiment to prove that heavy water tastes sweet due to a quantum effect?

moralestapia 2y ago

It plays a role in photosynthesis, I don't have the reference at hand (I'm on my phone), but that one is 100% verified.

dekhn 2y ago
You can start at https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2023/06/14/photosynthesis-key-to-life-on-earth-starts-with-a-single-photon/ https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2023/06/14/photosynthesis-key-to-... and https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/PBD-quantum-secrets.html https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/PBD-quantum-se... and use the names in those articles to pull up the relevant literature.

dekhn 2y ago

There are several biological processes for which we're fairly certain that some quantum mechanical process is exploited. Strictly speaking, everything about biology is ultimately explained by quantum chemistry and physics, but not in a particularly exciting way. However, I don't think anybody has found any concrete evidence that any process in biology exploits entanglement. Instead, the examples we've seen so far are mostly around tunnelling, and coherency. People argue a lot about the "meaning of quantum" but nearly all the arguing is about the behavior of entanglement and wavefunction collapse. Tunnelling and coherency are pretty banal QM phenomena at this point. As for Sabine... I don't find her popular science vides about biology to be particularly enlightening or accurate.

greyface- 2y ago

It would be surprising if it didn't. Why would an evolutionary process avoid searching through mechanisms that involve quantum effects?

novaRom 2y ago
Quantum effects are everywhere: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_biology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_biology

kumiy 2y ago

I honestly think that mosquitoes might be already exploiting a quantum effect while flying. For example, when you're not looking at them directly or when they fly in a chaotic manner to avoid being seen, they seem to disappear and reappear in different locations, traveling through space-time.

bullfightonmars 2y ago

Not at all! There is evidence of quantum effects in the light harvesting complexes in chlorophyll that operate at ambient temperatures. This appears to be a key element to the efficiency of guiding photons to the photosystem.

lll-o-lll 2y ago

Didn’t Thunderf00t perform an experiment to prove that heavy water tastes sweet due to a quantum effect?