Quantum Biology

5 cards. Each one is a 40-second story with a five-minute read behind it.

1. Is your nose listening to the music of molecules?The prevailing theory suggests our noses work like locks and keys, but a controversial alternative proposes we might actually be 'listening' to molecular vibrations. This theory s…
2. How birds use quantum spins to navigate the planetMigratory birds can sense the Earth's magnetic field, but the mechanism remains one of biology's great mysteries. The leading theory suggests they rely on a quantum phenomenon whe…
3. The man who gave quantum chemistry its own mathematical languageBefore the 1960s, quantum mechanics was a tool used by chemists, not a distinct discipline. Per-Olov Löwdin changed that by establishing the rigorous mathematical framework and ed…
4. The quantum mystery of photosynthesis may be a vibrational illusionFor years, scientists debated whether plants use quantum coherence to move energy with perfect efficiency. New research using polarization-controlled 2D spectroscopy suggests the …
5. Enzymes are not passive scaffolds but dynamic engines of motionFor a century, we viewed enzymes as rigid locks waiting for the right key. We were wrong. New biophysical models reveal that these molecules are constantly fluctuating, using inte…

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