Quantum Mechanical Aspects of Cell Microtubules: Science Fiction or Realistic Possibility?

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential role of quantum mechanics in biological systems, particularly in microtubules and recent algae experiments, suggesting possible quantum computation and entanglement at biological temperatures.

Contribution

It reviews previous models of quantum entanglement in microtubules and discusses recent experimental findings in algae that support quantum effects in biological environments.

Findings

Quantum entanglement observed in marine algae at ambient temperature

Decoherence times around 400 femtoseconds in biological systems

Microtubules may support quantum energy transfer mechanisms

Abstract

Recent experimental research with marine algae points towards quantum entanglement at ambient temperature, with correlations between essential biological units separated by distances as long as 20 Angstr\"oms. The associated decoherence times, due to environmental influences, are found to be of order 400 fs. This prompted some authors to connect such findings with the possibility of some kind of quantum computation taking place in these biological entities: within the decoherence time scales, the cell "quantum calculates" the optimal "path" along which energy and signal would be transported more efficiently. Prompted by these experimental results, in this talk I remind the audience of a related topic proposed several years ago in connection with the possible r\^ole of quantum mechanics and/or field theory on dissipation-free energy transfer in microtubules (MT), which constitute fundamental cell substructures. Quantum entanglement between tubulin dimers was argued to be possible, provided there exists sufficient isolation from other environmental cell effects. The model was based on certain ferroelectric aspects of MT. In the talk I review the model and the associated experimental tests so far and discuss future directions, especially in view of the algae photo-experiments.