Entangled with Existence: Physics at the Heart of Being

VermilionMarlin

Life, at its core, has always been viewed as a complex interplay of chemistry and evolution. Yet, modern science is beginning to reveal that beneath this tapestry lies another layer: quantum mechanics. The question “How quantum is life?” is no longer a whimsical curiosity but an inquiry at the frontier of biology, physics, and philosophy. This essay explores how quantum phenomena, such as superposition, tunneling, entanglement, and coherence may underpin biological processes ranging from photosynthesis to avian navigation, olfaction, and even consciousness. It navigates the paradox of life as both classical and quantum, showing how evolution may have learned to harness quantum effects without ever “understanding” them. Finally, it reflects on the broader implications: if quantum phenomena are deeply embedded in life, then our very existence is inseparable from the fundamental strangeness

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geoff

This essay describes in an approachable style a few common examples of putative quantum biological effects and the controversial Penrose-Hameroff Orch-OR hypothesis. It concludes by arguing that life is quantum because it depends on quantum effects, such as DNA mutation via proton tunneling and enzyme reactions that use quantum effects.

Beyond that, there is little to remark on. I would encourage the writer to try to push the frontier forward by proposing new ideas. Quantum biology is an emerging field, there's a lot of work to be done!

EmeraldBeetle

geoff Also the essay is yet another 3 page, 9k character stub that could have used another 16k characters (inc. spaces) for exposition ... but didn't. I gave up reading these executive summaries a couple of months ago as there are far too many of them vs actual full essays in this competition anyways.