A new physics of life

[Ignitionnet]

https://www.quantamagazine.org/20140...heory-of-life/

Popular hypotheses credit a primordial soup, a bolt of lightning and a colossal stroke of luck. But if a provocative new theory is correct, luck may have little to do with it. Instead, according to the physicist proposing the idea, the origin and subsequent evolution of life follow from the fundamental laws of nature and “should be as unsurprising as rocks rolling downhill.”

Interesting stuff. This is a question that needs answering and it looks as though our science bods are getting there

All the other sciences must be getting pretty annoyed at Physics coming and stealing their lunch.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Damien

All the other sciences must be getting pretty annoyed at Physics coming and stealing their lunch.

Haha! I doubt it, all the other sciences are built on it just as it is built on maths

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Haha! I doubt it, all the other sciences are built on it just as it is built on maths

[BenMcr]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_biology

Quantum biology refers to applications of quantum mechanics to biological objects and problems

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2...hanics-biology

According to quantum biology, the European robin has a 'sixth sense' in the form of a protein in its eye sensitive to the orientation of the Earth's magnetic field, allowing it to 'see' which way to migrate

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2...hanics-biology

According to quantum biology, that isn't quantum biology. Since when was magnetism quantum mechanics.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

According to quantum biology, that isn't quantum biology. Since when was magnetism quantum mechanics.

The quantum mechanics happens in the cells that detect the magnetic field

http://www.physicscentral.com/explor...tanglement.cfm

I found out about it from this programme on BBC4 - unfortunately it's not on iPlayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04v85cj

[qasdfdsaq]

Hmm. Simply using ordinary magnetism or speculated about quantum entanglement for detecting magnetic fields. Occam's razor comes to mind.

Thanks for the link though, it does make the QM link a bit clearer.

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Hmm. Simply using ordinary magnetism or speculated about quantum entanglement for detecting magnetic fields. Occam's razor comes to mind.

Thanks for the link though, it does make the QM link a bit clearer.

It's not just speculation - there is an increasing amount of experimental evidence. BBC4 ran a very interesting series on this before Christmas. I only caught the last episode by accident, because they filmed a sequence at Mull of Galloway lighthouse where I had recently been for a holiday.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Chris

BBC4 ran a very interesting series on this before Christmas.

That was the bbc link I posted. Hopefully they'll repeat it soon.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by Chris

It's not just speculation - there is an increasing amount of experimental evidence. BBC4 ran a very interesting series on this before Christmas. I only caught the last episode by accident, because they filmed a sequence at Mull of Galloway lighthouse where I had recently been for a holiday.

The only article linked so far specifically calls it speculation.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

The only article linked so far specifically calls it speculation.

Have a look at some of the resource links - there is a documented experiment and a letter to Nature.

As far as I know, scientists are fairly caged about giving absolutes so most things are surrounded by 'would seem to indicate' and 'suggest' etc.