Tag Archives: photosynthesis

Quantum biology: It may be a transition state

Impact: Quantum Physics    March 7, 2012
As far as science was concerned, quantum states and quantum effects were observable (if at all) only in the deepest cold, in temperatures hovering just above absolute zero. There were moments of research during and after the 1990’s when quantum effects were managed more than a few degrees (Kelvin) off zero, but for all practical [...]
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Synthetic biology: Improve photosynthesis

News: Synthetic Biology    May 13, 2011
Eighteen blue-ribbon scientists from all over the world agree: We need to improve on Mother Nature. Oh? Well, yes. Nature only extracts energy from the Sun in a couple of band gaps (otherwise known as colors), mostly green, some blue. We can do better than that. We can engineer plants to absorb photons from the [...]
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Fuel cell technology: Fuel from an ‘artificial leaf’

Impact: Alternative Energy    March 30, 2011
Visions of catchy titles danced in my head: “Alternative energy turns over a new leaf,” for example. It sounds like a perfect story for a world growing ever more skittish about the future of energy. (As Fukushima continues to radiate danger and fuel prices head into economy busting territory.) The idea is to produce energy [...]
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Plant-inspired solar energy synthesis

News: Alternative Energy    October 4, 2010
Perhaps we are naïve. We want to believe there are technological fixes for major problems. For example, we know we have to find ways of replacing oil (petroleum) as a major source of energy. We know, sooner or later, we will run out of oil. One alternative is to use less energy; unfortunately that ultimately [...]
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Confirmation: Quantum entanglement in photosynthesis

News: Quantum Physics    May 12, 2010
The discovery that every-day, ‘normal temperature’, biological systems – plants – use quantum effects in the process of photosynthesis has been advancing for several years. For physicists and biologists this is becoming something of a revelation. Physicists in particular, accustomed to observing quantum effects only at extreme cold (approaching absolute zero), find the idea that [...]
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Using artificial photosynthesis (in a virus) to split water

Impact: Synthetic Biology    April 11, 2010
In general, SciTechStory doesn’t start tracking a technology that’s (a) incomplete in implementation and (b) many years from application (if ever). Maybe this one is an exception: Using a virus to support artificial photosynthesis that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. It sounds pretty strange (not that this is a qualification for coverage herein), but [...]
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Update: Quantum photosynthesis

Impact: Cell Biology    February 6, 2010
Just to underline the post Quantum mechanics in photosynthesis, oh my. there’s another take on the interpretation and significance of the research at Cosmic Variance. Here’s a sample: We can think about this in terms of Feynman’s way of talking about quantum mechanics: rather than a particle taking a unique path between two points, as [...]
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Quantum mechanics in photosynthesis, oh my.

News: Cell Biology    February 4, 2010
Just when biologists thought they were getting a handle on some of the molecular behavior in cells, along come other scientists to reveal that at least in photosynthesis the ‘crazy’ world of quantum mechanics has been put to work. Oh my, indeed. Not that this comes as a huge surprise. Quantum physics underlies everything in [...]
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