Abstract We examine the quantum coherence properties of tubulin heterodimers arranged into the protofilaments of cytoskeletal microtubules. In the physical model proposed by the authors, the microtubule interiors are treated as high-Q quantum electrodynamics (QED) cavities that can support decoherence-resistant entangled states under physiological conditions, with decoherence times of the order of $$\mathcal {O}(10^{-6})$$ O ( 10 - 6 ) s. We identify strong electric dipole interactions between tubulin dimers and ordered water dipole quanta within the microtuble interior as the mechanism responsible for the extended coherence times. Classical nonlinear (pseudospin) $$\sigma $$ σ -models describing solitonic excitations are reinterpreted as emergent quantum-coherent—or possibly pointer—states, arising from incomplete collapse of dipole-aligned quantum states. These solitons mediate dissipation-free energy transfer along microtubule filaments. We discuss logic-gate-like behaviour facilitated by microtubule-associated proteins, and outline how such structures may enable scalable, ambient-temperature quantum computation, with the fundamental unit of information storage realized as a quDit encoded in the tubulin dipole state. We further describe a process akin to “decision-making” that emerges following an external stimulus, whereby optimal, energy-loss-free signal and information transport pathways are selected across the microtubular network. Finally, we propose experimental approaches—including Rabi-splitting spectroscopy and entangled surface plasmon probes—to validate the use of biomatter as a substrate for scalable quantum computation.
Abstract We examine the quantum coherence properties of tubulin heterodimers arranged into the protofilaments of cytoskeletal microtubules. In the physical model proposed by the authors, the microtubule interiors are treated as high-Q quantum electrodynamics (QED) cavities that can support decoherence-resistant entangled states under physiological conditions, with decoherence times of the order of O(10−6) O ( 10 - 6 ) s. We identify strong electric dipole interactions between tubulin dimers and ordered water dipole quanta within the microtuble interior as the mechanism responsible for the extended coherence times. Classical nonlinear (pseudospin) σ σ -models describing solitonic excitations are reinterpreted as emergent quantum-coherent—or possibly pointer—states, arising from incomplete collapse of dipole-aligned quantum states. These solitons mediate dissipation-free energy transfer along microtubule filaments. We discuss logic-gate-like behaviour facilitated by microtubule-associated proteins, and outline how such structures may enable scalable, ambient-temperature quantum computation, with the fundamental unit of information storage realized as a quDit encoded in the tubulin dipole state. We further describe a process akin to “decision-making” that emerges following an external stimulus, whereby optimal, energy-loss-free signal and information transport pathways are selected across the microtubular network. Finally, we propose experimental approaches—including Rabi-splitting spectroscopy and entangled surface plasmon probes—to validate the use of biomatter as a substrate for scalable quantum computation.
Prompted by recent experimental results in marine algae, indicating quantum entanglement at ambient temperature, with correlations between essential biological units separated by distances as long as 20 Angstroms and decoherence times, due to environmental influences, of order 400 fs, I review here a related topic proposed several years ago in connection with the possible rôle of quantum mechanics and/or field theory on dissipation-free energy transfer in (brain) microtubules (MT). The basic assumption was to view the cell MT as quantum electrodynamical cavities, providing sufficient isolation in vivo to enable the formation of electric-dipole quantum coherent solitonic states across the tubulin dimer walls. Crucial to this, were argued to be the electromagnetic interactions of the dipole moments of the tubulin dimers with the dipole quanta in the ordered water interiors of the MT, that play the rôle of quantum coherent cavity modes. Quantum entanglement between tubulin dimers was argued to be possible, provided there exists sufficient isolation from other environmental cell effects. Thus, decoherence times as long as 10 −7 −10 −6 s could characterise the MT systems. The model was based on certain ferroelectric aspects of MT. In the talk I revisit these decoherence time scales in light of the algae measurements and argue that, even if the environmental decoherence implies short time scales of order of a few hundreds of fs, this is a sufficient time for some kind of quantum computation to take place in (brain) MT, so that within these time scales the cell "quantum calculates" the optimal "path" along which energy and signal (information) are transported most efficiently along the MT.
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 Angströms. 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 rôle of quantum mechanics and/or field theory on dissipation-free energy transfer in microtubules (MT), which constitute fundamental cell substructures. The basic assumption was to view the cell MT as quantum electrodynamical cavities, providing sufficient isolation in vivo to enable the formation of electric-dipole quantum coherent solitonic states across the tubulin dimer walls. Crucial to this, were argued to be the electromagnetic interactions of the dipole moments of the tubulin dimers with the dipole quanta in the ordered water interiors of the MT, that play the rôle of quantum coherent cavity modes. 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. Subsequent experiments in vitro could not confirm ferroelectricity at room temperatures, however they provided experimental measurements of the induced electric dipole moments of the MT under the influence of external electric fields. Nevertheless, this does not demonstrate that in vivo MT are not ferroelectric materials. More refined experiments should be done. 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.
We discuss possible quantum mechanical aspects of MicroTubules (MT), based on recent developments in quantum physics. We focus on potential mechanisms for "energy-loss-free" transport along the microtubules, which could be considered as realizations of Fröhlich's ideas on the rôle of solitons for superconductivity and/or biological matter. In particular, by representing the MT arrangements as cavities, we present a novel scenario on the formation of macroscopic (or mesoscopic) quantum-coherent states, as a result of the (quantum-electromagnetic) interactions of the MT dimers with the surrounding molecules of the ordered water in the interior of the MT cylinders. Such states decohere due to dissipation through the walls of the MT. Transfer of energy without dissipation, due to such coherent modes, could occur only if the decoherence time is larger than the average time scale required for energy transfer across the cells. We present some generic order of magnitude estimates or the decoherence time in a typical model for MT dynamics. Our conclusion is that the quantum coherent states play a rôle in energy transfer if the dissipation through the walls of the MT cavities is fairly suppressed, corresponding to damping time scales Tr≥10-4-10-5 sec, for moderately large MT networks. We suggest specific experiments to test the above-conjectured quantum nature of the microtubular arrangements inside the cell. These experiments are similar in nature to those in atomic physics, used in the detection of the Rabi-Vacuum coupling between coherent cavity modes and atoms. Our conjecture is that a similar Rabi-Vacuum-splitting phenomenon occurs in the absorption (or emission) spectra of the MT dimers, which would constitute a manifestation of the dimer coupling with the coherent modes in the ordered-water environment (dipole quanta), which emerge due to "super-radiance".
We focus on potential mechanisms for `energy-loss-free' transport along the cell microtubules, which could be considered as realizations of Fröhlich's ideas on the role of solitons for superconductivity and/or biological matter. In particular, by representing the MT arrangements as `cavities',we present a novel scenario on the formation of macroscopic (or mesoscopic) quantum-coherent states, as a result of the (quantum-electromagnetic) interactions of the MT dimers with the surrounding molecules of the ordered water in the interior of the MT cylinders. We present some generic order of magnitude estimates of the decoherence time in a typical model for MT dynamics. The role of (conjectured) ferroelectric properties of MT arrangements on the above quantum phenomena is emphasized. Based on these considerations, we also present a conjecture on the role of the MT in `holographic' information processing, which resembles the situation encountered in internal source X-ray holography in atomic physics.
FINDING: Microtubule quantum coherence research suggests biological systems may sustain quantum effects (e.g., superposition, entanglement) at physiological temperatures, challenging decoherence dogma—but the mathematical core remains speculative, with no closed-form equations yet published in the cited sources. | MATH: No explicit equations, constants, or ratios extracted from the video/abstract titles. The arXiv paper (1401.3218) deals with cavity QED ground-state quantum beats—relevant to coherence control, but not directly to microtubules. Key physical parameters implied: decoherence time τ_d, coupling strength g, thermal energy k_BT (~25 meV at 300K), and vibrational mode frequencies of tubulin dimers (~THz range, inferred from protein dynamics). No golden-ratio or base-60 constants appear in the evidence. | CONNECTION: Microtubules are hollow cylinders with 13 protofilaments (a prime number, not crystallographic in the Penrose-tiling sense). However, tubulin dimers arrange in a l Author: Andrew Stewart Caldin, Independent Researcher, UK. Part of the E8 Intelligence Research series. Platform: e8intelligence.com
FINDING: Microtubule quantum coherence research suggests a physical substrate for consciousness via quantum effects in brain microtubules, with recent simulations and studies claiming evidence for quantum excitations traveling along these structures. | MATH: Microtubules are hollow cylinders ~25 nm diameter, composed of tubulin dimers arranged in a hexagonal lattice (13 protofilaments typically, giving a 13-fold rotational symmetry). The key mathematical structure is the tubulin dimer lattice — a 2D hexagonal lattice with a lattice constant ~8 nm (αβ-tubulin dimer length ~8 nm). Quantum coherence timescales are proposed via Fröhlich condensation (coherent dipole oscillations at ~THz frequencies, ~10^12 Hz), with energy gaps ~1 meV (thermal energy kT at 300K ≈ 25.9 meV, so coherence requires energy separation ΔE >> kT or shielding). The Orch-OR model invokes quantum superposition of tubulin states with collapse via objective reduction (OR) — the gravity-induced collapse time τ ≈ ħ/E_G, Author: Andrew Stewart Caldin, Independent Researcher, UK. Part of the E8 Intelligence Research series. Platform: e8intelligence.com