Photosynthesis May Rely On Quantum Effect

forgethistory sends us to PhysOrg for a summary of new research suggesting that the near instantaneous energy transfer achieved by photosynthesis may rely on quantum effects. From the article: "Through photosynthesis, green plants and cyanobacteria are able to transfer sunlight energy to molecular reaction centers for conversion into chemical energy with nearly 100-percent efficiency. Speed is the key — the transfer of the solar energy takes place almost instantaneously so little energy is wasted as heat. How photosynthesis achieves this near instantaneous energy transfer is a long-standing mystery that may have finally been solved."

Comments

The Plants Are Right to Laugh at You, Ralph

[Anonymous Coward]

I wonder if ferns ever look at us and laugh saying that non-quantum-sourced energy is so 3 billion years ago.

Re:The Plants Are Right to Laugh at You, Ralph

[slughead]

I wonder if ferns ever look at us and laugh saying that non-quantum-sourced energy is so 3 billion years ago.

Maybe so, but then some herbivore eat a thousand of them, we eat a hundred herbivores, and we're the benefactor of all their magic!

If humans were photoheterotrophic or photoautotrophic, we wouldn't have enough energy to do much more than sit there sulking like a stupid fern. One of the sad realities of a creature like Swamp Thing (an apparent photoautotroph) is that he wouldn't really be able to move quickly at all. It'd be very easy for some cow to walk up and start nibbling on him (oh sweet irony). Adrienne Barbeau would have to dump his ass for something higher on the food chain like an amoeba.

Adrienne Barbeau was hot in Swamp Thing. You really want to give that up just so you can have quantum-enhanced solar power? Wait, that does sound pretty cool.

Re:The Plants Are Right to Laugh at You, Ralph

[Caelynd]

Tell that to Birdman. :}

Re:I'm sure a lot more things rely on quantum effe

[CmdrGravy]

Was there any specific quantum effect you had in mind or did your spell checker mysteriously substitute the phrase "quantum effects" for the word magic ?

Re:I'm sure a lot more things rely on quantum effe

[CaptainPatent]

Was there any specific quantum effect you had in mind or did your spell checker mysteriously substitute the phrase "quantum effects" for the word magic ?

Maybe his spell checker uses quantum effects!

Oh boy.

[Rob T Firefly]

This explains why the hedge in my yard wasn't doing so well until it was temporarily taken over by the spirit of a wise and charming fern from the future, which corected everything that was wrong in the hedge's life before moving on to my neighbor's lawn ten years ago.

Re:Even more amazing...

[Carewolf]

Well, except gravity.

Re:I'm sure a lot more things rely on quantum effe

[MightyYar]

I believe he said, "I'm high."

Re:so when I did an MRI

[meringuoid]

It erased you, but the data in storage stayed in place. Your neurocircuitry rebooted and launched a new instance of the consciousness process, which loaded in the existing memories seamlessly. You just think you're the original you.

Re:I'm sure a lot more things rely on quantum effe

[Plutonite]

I'm sorry, please clarify: did you actually say anthing in that post? Maybe he did. The philosophical problems raised by the fact that your mental activity, at the lowest "unobserved" level, is the product of a naturally probabilistic (yet determined upon observation)state, is not good. The idea posits that the concept of free will is actually achievable, if your recognition of that will can somehow be excluded from the entanglement process which renders macro-scales like Schroedingers cat irrelevant.

Just kidding. I will leave now.

Re:I'm sure a lot more things rely on quantum effe

[grammar fascist]

I believe he said "I'm high."