For 30 years, scientists have explored whether the human brain requires quantum processes for cognition. A new study from Shanghai University suggests that fatty structures in nerve cells could produce quantum entangled biphoton pairs, potentially aiding synchronization across neurons.
However, scientists argue that the brain is too hot and messy for this phenomenon to occur, making it difficult to detect. Despite this, the human brain is unlike a computer, being ultra-efficient, renewable, and capable of computational feats beyond computers.
The idea of quantum properties in the brain isn’t new; British physicist Roger Penrose and American anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff proposed the “orchestrated objective reduction” model in the 90s. Since then, evidence has hinted that quantum phenomena may contribute to consciousness.
A recent study suggests that a fatty material called myelin surrounding nerve cells’ axons provides an environment for entangled photon generation, potentially explaining cognition and synchronization.
The team built mathematical models showing how infrared photons could impact myelin sheaths and impart energy to chemical bonds, generating entangled photon pairs. These pairs could serve as a “quantum communication resource” within the nervous system.
Researchers believe that this phenomenon would be ideal for orchestrating simultaneous neural activity in the brain. However, detecting this in a biological setting would be challenging. The idea of quantum entanglement driving consciousness is still speculative and requires further testing.
Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a61854962/quantum-entanglement-consciousness/