Scientists have proved that quantum physics has an important role in the fundamental reactions of life. Quantum phase phenomena are so sensitive that all other surrounding effectors have to be disabled in order to observe them. In other words, a controlled system has to be created to observe quantum phenomena, where the temperature is close to absolute zero.
However, the conditions required for life to be created and exist are the opposite of the quantum world. Suitable environments for life are usually complex, warm and humid. So it is important to understand how quantum theory works in the fundamental reactions of life.
Physicists and biologists are interested in conducting experiments in these two completely different fields.
Rainer Dumke and his colleagues at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have created a special quantum situation. This is called quantum entanglement in physics. Quantum entanglement is a condition in which two independent particles are so closely related that they cannot be explained apart, even at a distance of billions of light-years. To explain the state of one, the state of the entire environment must be explained.
Scientists have used microscopic animals called superconducting qubits and tardigrades to create quantum entanglement. A qubit is a quantum bit. Through this, scientists have been able to record the most obvious phenomenon of suspended animation. Suspended animation is the slowing down of biological activity without death. In this physiological activities continue in the inactive state of the animal.
The scientists said that the experiment showed that the tardigrade itself becomes entangled with the sub-system (artificial system).
Tardigrades can survive even in extreme conditions. Because of this, the organism goes into a state called cryptobiosis. Cryptobiosis is the extreme inactivity of an organism’s biological processes. If the animal is taken in a frozen or dry state, it reduces metabolic activity. It becomes active again when the temperature rises and comes in contact with water. Tardigrades usually take a few minutes to reactivate.
To observe the friction, Dumke and his colleagues cooled the tardigrade to a temperature of less than 10 milliKelvin, which is near absolute zero. In addition, they reduce the pressure and create 1 million times less pressure than the environment. No chemical reactions are possible in this environment. Therefore, it is thought that the tardigrade’s metabolism may have completely stopped, and its life may have stopped as well.
“This is the lowest temperature and pressure ever recorded, where the tardigrade has survived,” “the researchers said.”
Tardigrade in this case can be called dielectric or electrostatic material. That is, even if it cannot conduct electricity, putting it in an electric field can create a charge on its surface. The researchers conducted a simulation of this situation and used the tardigrade as an ultraviolet cube.
In this experiment, two superconducting capacitors are taken which, when cooled, can exist in an overlap of different states, this state is called a qubit. The tardigrade is placed in the middle of the capacitor plates of one qubit, so that it becomes an integral of the capacitor. The researchers were then able to measure the effect of tardigrades on the properties of qubits.
Quantum bit
The researchers entangled this qubit with its surrounding environment, so that the whole system becomes a single quantum object. That is, the tardigrade intersects exactly with its neighboring environment.
Dumke and his colleagues said they observed that the animal in the cryptobiosis forms a bond between the superconducting quantum bit and this combined system and another qubit creates a high-intensity environment.
After being in cryptobiosis for more than two weeks, the researchers gradually heated the tardigrade. With this, they began to bring the animal under normal pressure. The animal gradually returns to the active form. This creates a new record of survival of animals in extreme environments and complex conditions.
This study provides an example of how the quantum effect can be exploited. However, this research report does not have a comprehensive explanation of how quantum physics is involved in the process of life.