Quantum Aspects of Life
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| Author | Derek Abbott, Paul C. W. Davies, Arun K. Pati (Eds.) With foreword by Sir Roger Penrose |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Physics and biophysics |
| Genre | Non-fiction; science text |
| Publisher | Imperial College Press |
Publication date | 2008 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 581 pp. |
| ISBN | 978-1848162532 |
Quantum Aspects of Life is a 2008 science text, with a foreword by Sir Roger Penrose, which explores the open question of the role of quantum mechanics at molecular scales of relevance to biology. The book adopts a debate-like style and contains chapters written by various world-experts; giving rise to a mix of both sceptical and sympathetic viewpoints. The book addresses questions of quantum physics, biophysics, nanoscience, quantum chemistry, mathematical biology, complexity theory, and philosophy that are inspired by the 1944 seminal book What Is Life? by Erwin Schrödinger.
Contents
- Foreword by Sir Roger Penrose
- Section 1: Emergence and Complexity
- Chapter 1: "A Quantum Origin of Life?" by Paul C. W. Davies
- Chapter 2: "Quantum Mechanics and Emergence" by Seth Lloyd
- Section 2: Quantum Mechanisms in Biology
- Chapter 3: "Quantum Coherence and the Search for the First Replicator" by Jim Al-Khalili and Johnjoe McFadden
- Chapter 4: "Ultrafast Quantum Dynamics in Photosynthesis" by Alexandra Olaya-Castro, Francesca Fassioli Olsen, Chiu Fan Lee[permanent dead link], and Neil F. Johnson
- Chapter 5: "Modeling Quantum Decoherence in Biomolecules" by Jacques Bothma, Joel Gilmore, and Ross H. McKenzie
- Section 3: The Biological Evidence
- Chapter 6: "Molecular Evolution: A Role for Quantum Mechanics in the Dynamics of Molecular Machines that Read and Write DNA" by Anita Goel
- Chapter 7: "Memory Depends on the Cytoskeleton, but is it Quantum?" by Andreas Mershin and Dimitri V. Nanopoulos
- Chapter 8: "Quantum Metabolism and Allometric Scaling Relations in Biology" by Lloyd Demetrius
- Chapter 9: "Spectroscopy of the Genetic Code" by Jim D. Bashford and Peter D. Jarvis
- Chapter 10: "Towards Understanding the Origin of Genetic Languages" by Apoorva D. Patel
- Section 4: Artificial Quantum Life
- Chapter 11: "Can Arbitrary Quantum Systems Undergo Self-Replication?" by Arun K. Pati and Samuel L. Braunstein
- Chapter 12: "A Semi-Quantum Version of the Game of Life" by Adrian P. Flitney[permanent dead link] and Derek Abbott
- Chapter 13: "Evolutionary Stability in Quantum Games" by Azhar Iqbal and Taksu Cheon
- Chapter 14: "Quantum Transmemetic Intelligence" by Edward W. Piotrowski and Jan Sładkowski
- Section 5: The Debate
- Chapter 15: "Dreams versus Reality: Plenary Debate Session on Quantum Computing" For panel: Carlton M. Caves, Daniel Lidar, Howard Brandt, Alexander R. Hamilton; Against panel: David K. Ferry, Julio Gea-Banacloche, Sergey M. Bezrukov, Laszlo B. Kish; Debate chair: Charles R. Doering; Transcript Editor: Derek Abbott.
- Chapter 16: "Plenary Debate: Quantum Effects in Biology: Trivial or Not?" For panel: Paul C. W. Davies, Stuart Hameroff, Anton Zeilinger, Derek Abbott; Against panel: Jens Eisert, Howard M. Wiseman, Sergey M. Bezrukov, Hans Frauenfelder; Debate chair: Julio Gea-Banacloche; Transcript Editor: Derek Abbott.
- Chapter 17: "Non-trivial Quantum Effects in Biology: A Skeptical Physicist’s View" Howard M. Wiseman and Jens Eisert
- Chapter 18: "That’s Life! — The Geometry of π Electron Clouds" Stuart Hameroff
See also
- Quantum biology
- Erwin Schrödinger
- "What Is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell"., Cambridge, 1944.