Quantum Biology and Evolution

Yes, that is correct. So a heavy hydrogen molecule will have a different resonance compared to a regular hydrogen molecule, and this supposedly can alter the perception of smell, even though chemically they are identical.
Ok. I'm with you so far. That's all down-to-earth, conventional physics. Even if the mechanism is not involved in olfaction, it may still be found elsewhere.

What I don't understand is how this relates to your ideas. In particular 2. seems not at all down-to-earth nor conventional. And there's more I don't get.
 
Ok. I'm with you so far. That's all down-to-earth, conventional physics. Even if the mechanism is not involved in olfaction, it may still be found elsewhere.

What I don't understand is how this relates to your ideas. In particular 2. seems not at all down-to-earth nor conventional. And there's more I don't get.

Oh, I see. I don't know what it may have to do with number 2; I was thinking more along the lines of what you see in quantum computation or quantum walks, where simultaneous actions can take place, and in the case of quantum walks, the most efficient path can be taken which dramatically enhances the efficiency of say photosynthesis over what we would have thought it to be. Perhaps this taking of all potential paths could somehow be involved with coordinating mutations across the genome to create beneficial adaptations, since a particular change may require changes in different areas to occur.
 
Oh, I see. I don't know what it may have to do with number 2;
I don't quite see the connection to 3. either. Suppose there is such a mechanism, or some related mechanism, involved in epigenetics. Why would it be only relevant for behavior? What would make it so different from known epigenetic mechanisms like methylation?
Besides, how would it even work? It's obvious how the mechanism might be used to identify molecules but how would that work to influence behavior?

I was thinking more along the lines of what you see in quantum computation or quantum walks, where simultaneous actions can take place, and in the case of quantum walks, the most efficient path can be taken which dramatically enhances the efficiency of say photosynthesis over what we would have thought it to be. Perhaps this taking of all potential paths could somehow be involved with coordinating mutations across the genome to create beneficial adaptations, since a particular change may require changes in different areas to occur.
I don't see how that would work.
Suppose something like with chlorophyll takes place. Where a mutation occurs depends then on the shape of the whole DNA molecule (or bits of it and how it is folded). I don't see how it would or even could depend on the phenotypic effect of the mutation or even the interaction of that phenotype with the environment.
 
I don't quite see the connection to 3. either. Suppose there is such a mechanism, or some related mechanism, involved in epigenetics. Why would it be only relevant for behavior? What would make it so different from known epigenetic mechanisms like methylation?
Besides, how would it even work? It's obvious how the mechanism might be used to identify molecules but how would that work to influence behavior?


I don't see how that would work.
Suppose something like with chlorophyll takes place. Where a mutation occurs depends then on the shape of the whole DNA molecule (or bits of it and how it is folded). I don't see how it would or even could depend on the phenotypic effect of the mutation or even the interaction of that phenotype with the environment.

I don't really know any of this, either. Looks like I should read up on genetics so I can have a clue. I just suspect that perhaps quantum effects may be involved with genetics.
 
I don't really know any of this, either. Looks like I should read up on genetics so I can have a clue. I just suspect that perhaps quantum effects may be involved with genetics.
I wouldn't be too surprised by that. Perhaps you should rather read up on quantum physics and what it can realistically do.
 
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