Bringing quantum mechanics to life: from Schrödinger's cat to Schrödinger's microbe

Abstract

The question whether quantum mechanics is complete and the nature of the transition between quantum mechanics and classical mechanics have intrigued physicists for decades. There have been many experimental breakthroughs in creating larger and larger quantum superposition and entangled states since Erwin Schrödinger proposed his famous thought experiment of putting a cat in a superposition of both alive and dead states in 1935. Remarkably, recent developments in quantum optomechanics and electromechanics may lead to the realization of quantum superposition of living microbes soon. Recent evidence also suggests that quantum coherence may play an important role in several biological processes. In this review, we first give a brief introduction to basic concepts in quantum mechanics and the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment. We then review developments in creating quantum superposition and entangled states and the realization of quantum teleportation. Non-trivial quantum effects in photosynthetic light harvesting and avian magnetoreception are also discussed. At last, we review recent proposals to realize quantum superposition, entanglement and state teleportation of microorganisms, such as viruses and bacteria.

review article for Contemporary Physics, 28 pages

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Cited by in corpus (7)

• Journeys from Quantum Optics to Quantum Technology
• Auxiliary-cavity-assisted ground-state cooling of optically levitated nanosphere in the unresolved-sideband regime
• Prethermalization and nonreciprocal phonon transport in a levitated optomechanical array
• High-precision gravimeter based on a nano-mechanical resonator hybrid with an electron spin
• Coupling librational and translational motion of a levitated nanoparticle in an optical cavity
• Bistability and squeezing of the librational mode of an optically trapped nanoparticle
• Physiological search for quantum biological effects based on the Wigner-Yanase connection between coherence and uncertainty