Quantum Biology and the Puzzle of Coherence [View all]

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http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/27628/



One of the more exciting discoveries in biology in the last few years is the role that quantum effects seem to play in many living systems.

The two most famous examples are in bird navigation, where the quantum zeno effect seems to help determine the direction of the Earth's magnetic field, and in photosynthesis, where the way energy passes across giant protein matrices seems to depend on long-lasting quantum coherence.

Despite the growing evidence in these cases, many physicists are uneasy, however. The problem is the issue of decoherence, how quickly quantum states can survive before they are overwhelmed by the hot, wet environment inside living things.

According to conventional quantum calculations, these states should decay in the blink of an eye, so fast that they should not be able to play any role in biology.