Quantum Biology
A relatively new field of research
Nature is multidimensional. Beyond the individual categories we study — like physics, biology, or chemistry — there are also two levels of Nature that follow different sets of rules: the macro, or large scale level, and the tiny quantum one. Subjects like chemistry and physics are rooted in the tiny world of quantum mechanics, while biology is more often studied using classical mechanics in the larger realm.
Yet, at the source, all living systems are governed by quantum physics on the atomic scale — everything is. Over the last few decades, scientists have made massive progress in learning about biological systems at increasingly tiny scales. Experts now know how to manipulate some of these systems, like with genetic engineering, but despite our rapid progress, we have no idea the extent to which quantum effects influence biological systems.
Quantum Effects in Biology
The motion of macroscopic objects (anything we can see with our naked eye) all obey the laws of Classical Mechanics in physics. These rules help us track the motion of things like an airplane’s path or a planet’s rotation. However, it’s well known that the laws of classical mechanics fall apart when applied to atomic scales.
