A Theoretical Mechanism of Szilard Engine Function in Nucleic Acids and the Implications for Quantum Coherence in Biological Systems

TL;DR

This paper proposes a theoretical model where nucleic acids function as Szilard engines, converting molecular entropy into work and forming quantum gates, which could enable quantum coherence in biological systems and influence systemic health.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theoretical mechanism linking nucleic acid functions to quantum information processing and biological quantum coherence, with implications for understanding systemic diseases.

Findings

Nucleic acids can theoretically act as Szilard engines converting entropy into work.

Quantum gates can be formed through geometric degrees of freedom in nucleic acids.

Biophoton entanglement may coordinate cellular processes via quantum coherence.

Abstract

Nucleic acids theoretically possess a Szilard engine function that can convert the energy associated with the Shannon entropy of molecules for which they have coded recognition, into the useful work of geometric reconfiguration of the nucleic acid molecule. This function is logically reversible because its mechanism is literally and physically constructed out of the information necessary to reduce the Shannon entropy of such molecules, which means that this information exists on both sides of the theoretical engine, and because information is retained in the geometric degrees of freedom of the nucleic acid molecule, a quantum gate is formed through which multi-state nucleic acid qubits can interact. Entangled biophotons emitted as a consequence of symmetry breaking nucleic acid Szilard engine (NASE) function can be used to coordinate relative positioning of different nucleic acid locations, both within and between cells, thus providing the potential for quantum coherence of an entire biological system. Theoretical implications of understanding biological systems as such "quantum adaptive systems" include the potential for multi-agent based quantum computing, and a better understanding of systemic pathologies such as cancer, as being related to a loss of systemic quantum coherence.