The study of quantum mechanical phenomena in biological systems, such as coherence in photosynthesis.Quantum biology is the study of quantum mechanical phenomena — such as superposition, tunneling, and coherence — in living systems. It asks whether nature exploits quantum effects to achieve biological functions that would be impossible or inefficient with classical physics alone. The field gained traction with evidence that photosynthesis, avian magnetoreception, and possibly olfaction rely on quantum coherence or spin dynamics.
The term was coined in the 1920s, but the modern field emerged in the 2000s with experiments on photosynthetic complexes and cryptochrome proteins. Notable pioneers include Erwin Schrödinger, who speculated about quantum effects in life in his 1944 book 'What Is Life?'.
At its core, quantum biology examines how particles like electrons and protons behave as waves in biological molecules. For example, in photosynthesis, energy transfer between pigment molecules may involve quantum coherence, where an excitation exists in multiple locations simultaneously, allowing it to sample several pathways and find the most efficient route. In magnetoreception, radical pair reactions create electron spins whose quantum state is sensitive to Earth's magnetic field, potentially enabling birds to navigate.
Quantum biology informs the design of artificial photosynthetic systems, quantum sensors for magnetic field detection, and new approaches to medical imaging.
Some researchers propose that quantum tunneling in enzymes accelerates biochemical reactions by factors of up to a thousand.
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