Al-Khalili examines the European Robin , which navigates during migration using a biological compass. Research suggests these birds can "see" Earth's magnetic field through quantum entanglement in their eyes, a phenomenon so strange that even Einstein was skeptical.
Plants and bacteria are shown to capture energy from sunlight with nearly 100% efficiency. They achieve this by exploiting superposition , where energy packets (excitons) travel multiple paths simultaneously to find the most efficient route to the reaction center. The Secrets of Quantum Physics - 2. Let There B...
The film concludes by questioning if the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle —which dictates that certain physical properties cannot be known simultaneously—plays a role in DNA mutations, potentially driving the very engine of evolution. Program Details Presenter: Professor Jim Al-Khalili Original Air Date: December 16, 2014 Duration: 59 minutes Production: BBC Four The Secrets of Quantum Physics, Let There Be Life - BBC Al-Khalili examines the European Robin , which navigates
The episode focuses on several biological phenomena that classical physics struggles to explain, suggesting they rely on quantum effects: They achieve this by exploiting superposition , where
In the second episode of The Secrets of Quantum Physics , titled "," physicist Jim Al-Khalili shifts from the laboratory to the natural world. He investigates the burgeoning field of quantum biology , exploring how the counterintuitive laws of subatomic particles might be essential to life itself. Key Scientific Mysteries Explored