Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology

McFadden (molecular genetics, Univ. of Surrey; Quantum Evolution) and Al-Khalili (theoretical physics, Univ. of Surrey; Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines) introduce quantum biology to a lay audience. They provide a basic introduction to the subject, explaining that quantum mechanics operates within living beings at the submolecular level, dictating the movement of protons and electrons within the atoms that comprise a plant or animal. The authors then discuss how recent research has applied quantum physics to life processes as varied as bird migration, the sense of smell, genetic mutation, and how tadpoles lose their tails. The authors use everyday objects and activities to describe complex theories, such as comparing Schrödinger's wave function to the problem of locating a recidivist burglar. They explore the possibility of quantum involvement in consciousness and in the initial creation of life on Earth. The concepts are challenging but made accessible to nonscientists.