Inside Quantum Biology

Inside Quantum Biology explores the intriguing and rapidly growing field of quantum biology, investigating how quantum mechanics may play a role in biological processes to enable specific functions. This field challenges the traditional belief that quantum effects—such as superposition, coherence, tunneling, and entanglement—typically observed in controlled, cold, vacuum, and closed systems, are too fragile to operate in the dynamic, warm, wet, and complex open environments of living organisms. Curious minds unite! Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbas-omid-hassasfar/

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Episodes

Life on the Edge-Chapter 6 (The butterfly, the fruit fly and the quantum robin)

This chapter explores the science of animal navigation, focusing on the monarch butterfly, fruit fly, and quantum robin. It begins with Fred Urquhart's quest to discover where monarch butterflies disappear to in the winter, detailing his tagging efforts and the eventual discovery of their overwintering grounds in Mexico. The text explores how these animals, as well as others, navigate using the Earth's magnetic field. It looks at the role of cryptochromes and quantum entanglement in magn...

Feb 25, 2025•23 min•Season 2Ep. 6

Life on the Edge-Chapter 5 (Finding Nemo’s home)

"Life on the Edge - Chapter 5" explores the sense of smell in various animals, starting with anemonefish and salmon. It examines how animals navigate using smell , discussing the olfactory capabilities of dogs and other creatures. The chapter then investigates the complex mechanisms behind olfaction , including the shape theory and vibration theory, and the research of scientists like Richard Axel and Linda Buck, who won the Nobel Prize for their work on odor receptors. It presents res...

Feb 24, 2025•20 min•Season 2Ep. 5

Life on the Edge-Chapter 4 (The quantum beat)

This excerpt from "Life on the Edge" explores the quantum mechanics involved in photosynthesis. It begins by introducing the question of how trees create their substance from air and light, referencing Richard Feynman and MIT's contributions to science. The text then examines the two-slit experiment to illustrate the wave-particle duality of quantum mechanics. It discusses quantum coherence and decoherence, explaining how these processes relate to photosynthesis. Finally, it looks ...

Feb 15, 2025•16 min•Season 2Ep. 4

Life on the Edge-Chapter 3 (The engines of life)

"Life on the Edge - Chapter 3" explores the role of enzymes as biological catalysts, driving life's processes at a molecular level. The chapter discusses how enzymes like collagenase work, using the example of tadpole tail resorption and dinosaur fossil analysis to illustrate their function. Quantum mechanics is introduced as a potential explanation for how enzymes achieve their efficiency, with a focus on the quantum tunneling of electrons and protons. The text examines the kineti...

Feb 13, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 3

Life on the Edge-Chapter 2 (What is life?)

This is a summary of the second chapter of Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology . This chapter grapples with the fundamental question of what constitutes life, contrasting living organisms with inanimate objects. It explores the historical scientific perspectives on life, starting with early philosophical concepts of a soul or vital force and moving through classical physics and chemistry. The text highlights the shift towards mechanistic explanations, discussing thermodynamics...

Feb 06, 2025•18 min•Season 2Ep. 2

Life on the Edge-Chapter 1 (Introduction)

This is a summary of the first chapter of Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology . This introductory chapter explores the European robin's navigational abilities, using its migration as a case study to examine the role of quantum mechanics in biology . The text posits that the robin uses a quantum compass , based on entangled radical pairs, to sense the Earth's magnetic field. This exploration leads to a broader discussion of quantum phenomena in living organisms , highlighting t...

Feb 05, 2025•12 min•Season 2Ep. 1

Inside Quantum Biology - S1-Ep3 - (Olfaction)

In this episode, the discussion revolves around competing theories of olfaction, which explore how the olfactory system detects different odor molecules. The docking theory suggests that odorant recognition relies on the shape of the molecule fitting into a specific receptor, much like a key fits into a lock. On the other hand, the vibrational theory, introduced by Luca Turin, proposes that recognition is based on the molecule's unique vibrational frequencies. Turin's theory suggests that olfact...

Oct 28, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Inside Quantum Biology - S1-Ep2 - (Radical Pair Mechanism)

In this episode, we explore the radical pair mechanism as a potential explanation for magnetic field effects on biological systems. One area of focus is the role of isotope effects, suggesting that variations in the isotopic composition of biomolecules can influence biochemical processes. Additionally, we delve into how the radical pair mechanism may be applied to various biological systems, such as avian magnetoreception, xenon anesthesia, lithium treatment for hyperactivity, and microtubule re...

Oct 18, 2024•9 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Inside Quantum Biology - S1-Ep1 ( Quantum Biology in a nutshell )

We explore the emerging field of quantum biology, studying how quantum mechanics influences biological processes. We discuss the historical development of the field, starting with early quantum pioneers like Schrödinger and Bohr, who questioned whether quantum mechanics could explain life. We then trace the progression of quantum biology, highlighting key discoveries such as the observation of quantum coherence in photosynthesis and quantum tunneling in enzyme action, radical pair mechanism in b...

Sep 26, 2024•11 min•Season 1Ep. 1