Quantum Biology – Expanding the Life Science Paradigm

Philip Ball

Pete A. Y. Gunter

Lucian M. Ionescu

In this presentation we expand on the topics discussed in the presentation with the same title (Part I): the Quantum Information viewpoint on Biological systems and what life is, with implications to different areas of study and practices, including alternative medicine, music as an approach to healing etc. The new paradigm in science, brought by progress in the Theory of Quantum Information, can by encoded in the symbolic equation “QI=qi”, i.e. quantum information is chi/qi. The presentation is not meant to be technical, but rather informative, providing “food for thought”.

R. K. Chaurasia, Bhushan S. Dhabekar

András Balázs

The original proposal of H. H. CitationPattee (1971) of basing quantum theoretical measurement theory on the theory of the origin of life, and its far reaching consequences, is discussed in the light of a recently emerging biological paradigm of internal measurement. It is established that the “measurement problem” of quantum physics can, in principle, be traced back to the internal material constraints of the biological organisms, where choice is a fundamental attribute of the self-measurement of matter. In this light, which is shown to be a consequence of Pattee's original suggestion, it is proposed that biological evolution is a gradual liberation from the inert unity of “subject” and “object” of inanimate matter (as “natural law” and “initial conditions”), to a split biological existence of them and, as a consequence, the “message of evolution” is freedom, rather than complexity in itself. Some classical philosophical systems are brought into context to show that the epistemologies of several strictly philosophical systems of the social sciences are well acquainted with the problem and their solutions support our conclusions.

inquantio

A study published on arXiv provides a structured narrative evidence map of the three complementary directions where quantum science and biology intersect: 'quantum in biology', 'quantum for biology', and 'biology for quantum'. It highlights hydrogen tunneling in enzymes and the radical-pair mechanism for magnetoreception as representative cases of quantum in biology. For quantum for biology, it analyzes how quantum sensing and imaging tools can improve biological inference. It also illuminates biology for quantum, which utilizes biomolecular self-assembly to enhance the performance of quantum devices, and presents a comprehensive benchmark to compare the current evidence and alternatives in each area. [Quantum Biology Society] As we enter the 21st century, the convergence of quantum physics and the life sciences is moving beyond mere curiosity to establish itself as a substantial scientific paradigm. A recent paper published on the preprint repository arXiv, titled "Quantum in Biology, Quantum for Biology, and Biology for Quantum: Mapping the Evidence and the Road Ahead," clearly defines the three core areas where these two disciplines intersect. It provides a first-of-its-kind structured narrative evidence map that compiles the technological claims and experimental evidence of each field. A multinational collaborative research team led by Professor Travis J. A. Craddock of the University of Waterloo in Canada and Professor Francesco Petruccione of Stellenbosch University in South Africa published this extensive review. ■ Quantum in Nature and Quantum Tools Illuminating Biology The first pillar presented in this paper, 'Quantum in biology', deals with instances where quantum mechanics directly intervenes in the natural biological phenomena of living organisms. The most scientifically mature evidence highlighted includes the quantum tunneling of hydrogen in enzyme catalysis and the radical-pair spin chemistry mechanism that enables magnetoreception in birds. The second pillar, 'Quantum for biology', explores the application of cutting-edge quantum tools to the life sciences. The core question analyzed in this area is whether quantum technologies—such as quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum imaging—can provide significantly more precise biological inference and resolution beyond existing classical baselines, even under realistic biological constraints. ■ Living Organisms as the Foundation for Quantum Technology The final third pillar, 'Biology for quantum', is an innovative approach that utilizes biological systems in reverse to develop quantum technologies. The paper evaluates that the strongest claims in this field arise when the sophisticated structure or self-assembly capabilities unique to biomolecules are used to measurably improve the fabrication, integration, and robustness of artificial quantum devices. This monumental review paper holds great significance as it presents a macroscopic roadmap for the emerging interdisciplinary field of quantum biology. It establishes a powerful benchmark that allows for the at-a-glance comparison and verification of the current evidence levels and competitive alternative models in each specific subfield. #QuantumBiology #QuantumScience #LifeScience #InterdisciplinaryConvergence #EvidenceMap #QuantumSensing #QuantumLifeScience #QuantumTools #FutureScience #KoreanSocietyOfQuantumBiology https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.00205