Quantum Biology: From Coherent Energy Transfer in Photosynthesis to Quantum Models of Consciousness A Scientific Review
Abstract
Quantum biology represents an emerging interdisciplinary field that investigates the role of quantum mechanical effects in biological processes. This review examines the fundamental quantum principles underlying biological phenomena, with particular emphasis on photosynthetic energy transfer, quan-tum coherence in light-harvesting complexes, and the potential implications for artificial photosynthe-sis and cognitive processes. Recent advances in ultrafast spectroscopy have provided compelling evi-dence for quantum coherence in photosynthetic systems at physiological temperatures, challenging traditional assumptions about the fragility of quantum effects. The remarkable efficiency of photosyn-thetic light harvesting—approaching near-unity quantum efficiency—suggests that biological systems have evolved to exploit quantum mechanical phenomena such as superposition, entanglement, and tunneling. This review synthesizes current understanding of quantum effects in photosynthesis, ex-plores the role of protein environments in maintaining quantum coherence, and discusses the transla-tional potential for bio-inspired quantum technologies. Additionally, we examine controversial hy-potheses regarding quantum processes in human consciousness, particularly the Orch OR theory and quantum electrodynamic coherence in biological water. The future of quantum biology lies in bridging fundamental physics with life sciences, potentially revolutionizing energy technologies, computing, and our…
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