One of the most important open questions in science is how our consciousness is established. In the 1990s, long before winning the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics for his prediction of black holes, physicist Roger Penrose teamed up with anaesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff to propose an ambitious answer.
They claimed that the brains neuronal system forms an intricate network and that the consciousness this produces should obey the rules of quantum mechanics the theory that determines how tiny particles like electrons move around. This, they argue, could explain the mysterious complexity of human consciousness.
Penrose and Hameroff were met with incredulity. Quantum mechanical laws are usually only found to apply at very low temperatures. Quantum computers, for example, currently operate at around -272C. At higher temperatures, classical mechanics takes over. Since our body works at room temperature, you would expect it to be governed by the classical laws of physics. For this reason, the quantum consciousness theory has been dismissed outright by many scientists though others are persuaded supporters.
Instead of entering into this debate, I decided to join forces with colleagues from China, led by Professor Xian-Min Jin at Shanghai Jiaotong University, to test some of the principles underpinning the quantum theory of consciousness.
In our new paper, weve investigated how quantum particles could move in a complex structure like the brain but in a lab setting. If our findings can one day be compared with activity measured in the brain, we may come one step closer to validating or dismissing Penrose and Hameroffs controversial theory.
Our brains are composed of cells called neurons, and their combined activity is believed to generate consciousness. Each neuron contains microtubules, which transport substances to different parts of the cell. The Penrose-Hameroff theory of quantum consciousness argues that microtubules are structured in a fractal pattern which would enable quantum processes to occur.
Fractals are structures that are neither two-dimensional nor three-dimensional, but are instead some fractional value in between. In mathematics, fractals emerge as beautiful patterns that repeat themselves infinitely, generating what is seemingly impossible: a structure that has a finite area, but an infinite perimeter.
Read more: Explainer: what are fractals?
This might sound impossible to visualise, but fractals actually occur frequently in nature. If you look closely at the florets of a cauliflower or the branches of a fern, youll see that theyre both made up of the same basic shape repeating itself over and over again, but at smaller and smaller scales. Thats a key characteristic of fractals.
The same happens if you look inside your own body: the structure of your lungs, for instance, is fractal, as are the blood vessels in your circulatory system. Fractals also feature in the enchanting repeating artworks of MC Escher and Jackson Pollock, and theyve been used for decades in technology, such as in the design of antennas. These are all examples of classical fractals fractals that abide by the laws of classical physics rather than quantum physics.
Its easy to see why fractals have been used to explain the complexity of human consciousness. Because theyre infinitely intricate, allowing complexity to emerge from simple repeated patterns, they could be the structures that support the mysterious depths of our minds.
But if this is the case, it could only be happening on the quantum level, with tiny particles moving in fractal patterns within the brains neurons. Thats why Penrose and Hameroffs proposal is called a theory of quantum consciousness.
Were not yet able to measure the behaviour of quantum fractals in the brain if they exist at all. But advanced technology means we can now measure quantum fractals in the lab. In recent research involving a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM), my colleagues at Utrecht and I carefully arranged electrons in a fractal pattern, creating a quantum fractal.
When we then measured the wave function of the electrons, which describes their quantum state, we found that they too lived at the fractal dimension dictated by the physical pattern wed made. In this case, the pattern we used on the quantum scale was the Sierpiski triangle, which is a shape thats somewhere between one-dimensional and two-dimensional.
This was an exciting finding, but STM techniques cannot probe how quantum particles move which would tell us more about how quantum processes might occur in the brain. So in our latest research, my colleagues at Shanghai Jiaotong University and I went one step further. Using state-of-the-art photonics experiments, we were able to reveal the quantum motion that takes place within fractals in unprecedented detail.
We achieved this by injecting photons (particles of light) into an artificial chip that was painstakingly engineered into a tiny Sierpiski triangle. We injected photons at the tip of the triangle and watched how they spread throughout its fractal structure in a process called quantum transport. We then repeated this experiment on two different fractal structures, both shaped as squares rather than triangles. And in each of these structures we conducted hundreds of experiments.
Our observations from these experiments reveal that quantum fractals actually behave in a different way to classical ones. Specifically, we found that the spread of light across a fractal is governed by different laws in the quantum case compared to the classical case.
This new knowledge of quantum fractals could provide the foundations for scientists to experimentally test the theory of quantum consciousness. If quantum measurements are one day taken from the human brain, they could be compared against our results to definitely decide whether consciousness is a classical or a quantum phenomenon.
Our work could also have profound implications across scientific fields. By investigating quantum transport in our artificially designed fractal structures, we may have taken the first tiny steps towards the unification of physics, mathematics and biology, which could greatly enrich our understanding of the world around us as well as the world that exists in our heads.
Read the rest here:
- Wolfram Physics Project Seeks Theory Of Everything; Is It Revelation Or Overstatement? - Hackaday [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Elon Musk and Grimes Named Their Baby X A-12, Which Must Mean SomethingRight? - Esquire [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Free Will Astrology - Week of May 7 | Advice & Fun | Bend - The Source Weekly [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Free Will Astrology: May 6, 2020 - River Cities Reader [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Is string theory worth it? - Space.com [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Finding the right quantum materials - MIT News [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Quantum Tunneling Effects, Solving the Schrodinger Equation Bottleneck Recognized as Best Papers by The Journal of Chemical Physics - PRNewswire [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- What Is Quantum Mechanics? Quantum Physics Defined ... [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Quantum Physics Overview, Concepts, and History [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Tisca Chopra: This time has given me time to think about time - Daijiworld.com [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Iron-Based Material has the Ability to Power Small Devices - AZoNano [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- How Einstein Failed to Find Flaws in the Copenhagen Interpretation - The Great Courses Daily News [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Raytheon Technologies Reports First Quarter 2020 Results; Greg Hayes Quoted - ExecutiveBiz [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Unified Field Theory: Einstein Failed, but What's the Future? - The Great Courses Daily News [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Einstein Vs. the New Generation of Quantum Theorists - The Great Courses Daily News [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Why Self-Awareness and Communication Are Key for Self-Taught Players and Luthiers - Premier Guitar [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Nine graduates head off to continue their higher educational pursuits - Nevada Today [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- 'The Theory of Everything' by Wolfram Gets Criticized by Physicists - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Cliff's Edge -- The Past Hypothesis - Adventist Review [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Researchers Have Found a New Way to Convert Waste Heat Into Electricity to Power Small Devices - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Quantum Computing Market New Technology Innovations, Advancements and Global Development Analysis 2020 to 2025 - Cole of Duty [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Physicist Brian Greene on learning to focus on the here and now - KCRW [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- OK, WTF Are Virtual Particles and Do They Actually Exist? - VICE [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Is the Big Bang in crisis? | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Raytheon Technologies Board of Directors to Take Voluntary Compensation Reduction - PRNewswire [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- What part of 'public' does PSC not get? - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Exploring new tools in string theory - Space.com [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- The Era of Anomalies - Physics [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Registration Open for Inaugural IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE20) - thepress.net [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Exploring the quantum field, from the sun's core to the Big Bang - MIT News [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- The strange link between the human mind and quantum physics [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- quantum mechanics | Definition, Development, & Equations ... [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Quantum Physics Introduction Made Simple for Beginners [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Company Hopes to Have Carbon Nanotube COVID-19 Detector Available in June - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- The world is not as real as we think. - Patheos [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Armin Strom Discusses Resonance With PhD Of Quantum Physics And Watch Collector In An Easy-To-Understand Way (Video) - Quill & Pad [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Teaching the next generation of quantum scientists | Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Harvard School of... [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Nasa discovers parallel universe where time runs backwards? Know the truth - Business Standard [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Physicists Just Built The First Working Prototype Of A 'Quantum Radar' - ScienceAlert [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Next-Gen Laser Beams With Up to 10 Petawatts of Power Will Usher In New Era of Relativistic Plasmas Research - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: May 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 26th, 2020]
- What does the Tenet title mean? Quantum mechanics and Einsteins theory - Explica [Last Updated On: May 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 26th, 2020]
- Looking up: UFO occupants and the legacy of language - Roswell Daily Record [Last Updated On: May 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 26th, 2020]
- This is the light they have discovered and according to scientists it should not exist - Checkersaga [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- MIT Student Probing Reality Through Physics, Philosophy and Writing - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- David Baddiel: Kids have a better sense of humour than they used to' - The Guardian [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- Some Information Regarding Medical Physics - - KUSI [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- Francesca Vidotto: The Quantum Properties of Space-Time - JSTOR Daily [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- These 8 Books Have the Power to Change Your Perspective on Life - Morocco World News [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2020]
- Could Every Electron in the Universe Be the Same One? - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2020]
- Armijo: The absolute power of love | VailDaily.com - Vail Daily News [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2020]
- Scientists predicted that the coronavirus death rate would fall over time, but instead it doubled. Here's why - Business Insider India [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2020]
- Sussex Uni physicist creates the fifth state of matter whilst working from home - The Tab [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2020]
- Beware of 'Theories of Everything' - Scientific American [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2020]
- Duckworth on Education: The Feynman Technique - EMSWorld [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2020]
- Scientists Discover Quantum Matter for the First Time in Space - Beebom [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Physicists May Have Solved Long-Standing Mystery of Matter and Antimatter - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Louis Broglie and the Idea of Wave-Particle Duality - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Letter reveals the quirky side of Albert Einstein - Chile News | Breaking News, Views, Analysis - The Santiago Times [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Exploring the Quantum Field, From the Suns Core to the Big Bang at MIT - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- 10 of the best non-fiction science books to read right now - New Scientist [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Quantum material research connecting physicists in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai facilitates discovery of better materials that benefit our society... [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Flattening The Complexity Of Quantum Circuits - Asian Scientist Magazine [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Borrowing from robotics, scientists automate mapping of quantum systems - News - The University of Sydney [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Weird green glow spotted in atmosphere of Mars - Space.com [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Why Gravity Is Not Like the Other Forces - Quanta Magazine [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Cedar Hill grad pivots from science to law, determined to help others - The Dallas Morning News [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- The stories a muon could tell - Symmetry magazine [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- In the atmosphere of Mars, a green glow offers scientists hints for future visits - NBCNews.com [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- Birdsong offers clues to the workings of short-term memory - AroundtheO [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- Restructuring cybersecurity with the power of quantum - TechRadar [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- Researchers Use Richard Feynman's Ideas to Develop a Working 'Theory of Everything' - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- Nano-motor of just 16 atoms runs at the boundary of quantum physics - New Atlas [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- 'Everything was centered around Sara, he was lost': Abhishek Kapoor on Sushant Singh Rajput after 'Kedarnath' - DNA India [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2020]
- Physicists have proposed a new theory for Bose-Einstein condensates - Tech Explorist [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2020]
- 8.13 and 8.14: Physics Junior Lab - MIT Technology Review [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2020]
- The Period of the Universe's Clock - Physics [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2020]
- If Wormholes Are Actually Going to Work, They'll Need to Look Weird - Yahoo! Voices [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2020]
- At Long Last: An Answer to the Mystery Surrounding Matter and Antimatter - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2020]
- Lost and found in French translation - The Guardian [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2020]
- Do we need a 'Quantum Generation'? | TheHill - The Hill [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2020]