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Possible Superconductivity In the Brain? (springer.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the keeping-quantum-computing-in-mind dept.

"The unprecedented power of the brain suggests that it may process information quantum-mechanically," according to a new research paper. Long-time Slashdot reader time961 writes: Pavlo Mikheenko, a superconductivity researcher at the University of Oslo, has published a paper in the Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism (abstract only; arxiv pre-print here) suggesting that microtubule structures in pig neurons exhibit evidence of superconductivity that could represent a mechanism for quantum computing performed by the brain to achieve the brain's phenomenal information processing power. The observed effects (at room temperature and standard atmospheric pressure) are claimed to indicate a critical temperature of 2022 +/- 157 K, far higher than the 135 K achieved in other materials under similar conditions.

Interesting, if true.

4 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Human brain maybe a quantum computer! by Mr.+Dollar+Ton · · Score: 1, Informative

    Neurons are orders of magnitude larger than the scale on which QM matters, buddy.

  2. This is Pseudoscience BS by Stormy+Dragon · · Score: 3, Informative

    This Quantum Mind crap has been around since the 90s. It's just mysticism wrapped up in new jargon to sound all sciency to people who don't know what they're talking about.

    1. Re:This is Pseudoscience BS by Tough+Love · · Score: 5, Informative

      Have their been any realistic attempts to model a brain?

      Still not quite able to model C elegans. Rather a long way from modelling an ant, let alone human consciousness.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  3. bunch of nonsense by Goldsmith · · Score: 5, Informative

    I am a condensed matter physicist.

    This paper measures normal nonlinear electrochemical effects and assumes they're superconducting. Further, there is a misunderstanding of what quantized conductance means, and how to demonstrate that quantized conductance is being measured.

    There is no evidence presented of superconductivity, and no good argument for why it would be expected. It's a bit embarrassing that the author is a Physics professor.