Brain Really Uses Quantum Effects, New Study Finds

When Roger Penrose originally came out with the idea that the human brain uses quantum effects in microtubules and that was the origin of consciousness, many thought the idea was a little crazy. According to a new study, it turns out that Penrose was actually right… about the microtubules anyways. Let’s have a look.

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#science #sciencenews #quantum #biology

[gustavmont]

I never imagined that Sabine would comment on one of my papers. I am super-happy!

[SamWitney]

Roger is an absolute treasure to have for so many years. Penrose simply came to this conclusion because he doesn't believe consciousness is a computational process. He also doesn't believe that it's a chemical process. So he was looking for something with the right geometry in the body that could explain a wave collapse function. Sabine he is crazy in a very good way and has brilliant ideas. We all could learn something from him and his views on science and biology.

[dr_ned_flanders]

The stock footage of designing a V6 engine was particularly illustrative for this quantum process.

[kristinesynowka]

As soon as Sabine mentioned how unusual it would be to find quantum effects at room temperature I immediately thought of iridoplasts. These are modified chloroplasts found in a lab grown culture of a Begonia pavonina hybrid and they have the quantum effect of slowing down certain wavelengths of light.

It's an adaptation that helps the plant create more energy under the dense rainforest canopy. It also has the side effect of making the leaves reflect blue light and gives the plant an amazing peacock-like iridescence under certain lighting.

I wouldn't be surprised if we find more examples of quantum effects in structures created by biological life. Nature has had a very long time to experiment.

[Thomas-gk]

😂Physicists might be crazy, but I´m sure, Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff are smart enough to love the humor in this video

[MattJDylan]

I like Penrose. Even when he's wrong or doing an immense leap, he always pushes forward new ideas.
And fortunately he has enough credit to not be dismissed instantly.
We need more of this in every science field: to entertain new ideas with an *healthy* dose of criticism, instead of discarding everything right from the get-go.
We behave way too much like we've already peaked as far as knowledge goes: we need to be more humble and entertain new ideas in a better way.

Also, it's not totally fair to call Penrose "crazy". I've been in a physics university for long period of times without being part of it. I can confidently attest that EVERY physicist is crazy...

[ScramJett]

Gotta say, I loved that when you talked about the researchers building a computer model, it was a stock video of someone building a six cylinder engine in a 3D CAD program.

[AlexandreMS]

Just yesterday Anton Petrov released a very good video explaining the line of logic used in the consciousness thing. It is a little longer video but it is very worth watching.

[OGPedXing]

3:50 I'm amazed that the microtubile test machine looks so much like a v6 internal combustion engine block with a dual overhead cam and valve train! Sorry, as a car guy, I couldn't resist.😅

[januslast]

I think Penrose said that the key might be to understand how general anesthesia works. We currently don't know. All we know is that it "knocks us out" (puts an end to consciousness), and after the anesthesia wears off, consciousness resumes where it left off. So anesthesia stops the quantum stuff?

[Not.Satoshi]

I have always found Penrose’s theories quite interesting. Whether right or wrong, at least he is offering a different perspective in areas we lack understanding. It is very cool that this study suggests he may be on to something with his consciousness theory.

[petermason]

I liked this suggestion from Penrose and Hameroff when I first heard of it. I am encouraged to see it appear again.
I even did some research at that time and I remember that a "standard" test for the effectiveness of anesthetic involved measuring the sink rate in olive oil.
I also found a paper that described how some blue microorganism which used microtubules as a method of propulsion, cessed to move when they were anesthetised.
All I can add now is my thanks to the spell checker for correcting the use of so much anesthetic.

[Itachix]

Roger Penrose is a real treasure and I am so glad I got the honor meeting him and talk to him personally. The signed book is one of my most precious possessions.

[Salcifer]

Reminds me a lot of the book “The Rainbow and the Worm” by Mae-Wan Ho, that cellular biology is a path toward deeper understandings in physics because cells utilize and organize around energy gradients not easily apparent to us. But it would make sense that cellular functions would prioritize minuscule amounts of energy and then evolve to utilize the macro environment, and the way it does it would preserve the function of those quantum structures.

[oatlord]

Lol "it's tubes all the way down, people" made me laugh with the delivery.

[raphaelrossi]

People often say we exist in a macro world and can’t intuitively grasp the quantum world as there are no examples of it in the macro world. Yet there is an example that we deal with every second of our lives, figuratively right under, or literally right behind our noses. We can never know what we are going to be thinking about until we actually think about it at that instance. Otherwise the best we can guess is what we probably will be thinking about. I think therefore I probably am.

[CatsAreRubbish]

Imagine a follow-up paper in the near future...

"Aluminium foil head coverings help protect the brain's microtubules from outside quantum interference"

[improveourselves]

That's very fascinating because I and other people with autism, according to one study I read, have shorter microtubules but many many more of them than normal brains. I have synesthesia and a few savant skills. I've always wondered if this is related to our different way of looking at the world. It's a different brain organization and now you've given me more food for thought about the role of microtubules. I remember reading Penrose's work on consciousness long ago, so it's very interesting that we've actually corroborated some of his hypotheses. Fascinating video thanks again Sabine!

[carlbrenninkmeijer]

I was self concious when I tunneled between two parts of Hamburg, until I saw the UV blue light of a police car.

[nhzehqe]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.