Quantum biology on the edge of quantum chaos

TL;DR

This paper proposes that biological systems near the threshold of quantum chaos can maintain long quantum coherence times at room temperature, explaining a key puzzle in quantum biology.

Contribution

It introduces a new theory linking quantum coherence in biology to systems near critical quantum chaos or MIT, supported by realistic modeling and experimental data.

Findings

Long coherence times near critical quantum chaos

Reproduction of experimental fluctuation scaling

Potential for designing efficient energy transport systems

Abstract

We give a new explanation for why some biological systems can stay quantum coherent for long times at room temperatures, one of the fundamental puzzles of quantum biology. We show that systems with the right level of complexity between chaos and regularity can increase their coherence time by orders of magnitude. Systems near Critical Quantum Chaos or Metal-Insulator Transition (MIT) can have long coherence times and coherent transport at the same time. The new theory tested in a realistic light harvesting system model can reproduce the scaling of critical fluctuations reported in recent experiments. Scaling of return probability in the FMO light harvesting complex shows the signs of universal return probability decay observed at critical MIT. The results may open up new possibilities to design low loss energy and information transport systems in this Poised Realm hovering reversibly between quantum coherence and classicality.