quantum mechanics: and DNA (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, December 12, 2013, 03:54 (4001 days ago) @ David Turell

Quantum mechanics possibly at work to hold DNA together and perhaps to interpret-
http://www.technologyreview.com/view/419590/quantum-entanglement-holds-dna-together-say-physicists/-WOW:-"Phonons are quantum objects, meaning they can exist in a superposition of states and become entangled, just like other quantum objects.
 
To start with, Rieper and co imagine the helix without any effect from outside heat. "Clearly the chain of coupled harmonic oscillators is entangled at zero temperature," they say. They then go on to show that the entanglement can also exist at room temperature.
 
That's possible because phonons have a wavelength which is similar in size to a DNA helix and this allows standing waves to form, a phenomenon known as phonon trapping. When this happens, the phonons cannot easily escape. A similar kind of phonon trapping is known to cause problems in silicon structures of the same size.
 
That would be of little significance if it had no overall effect on the helix. But the model developed by Rieper and co suggests that the effect is profound. -Although each nucleotide in a base pair is oscillating in opposite directions, this occurs as a superposition of states, so that the overall movement of the helix is zero. In a purely classical model, however, this cannot happen, in which case the helix would vibrate and shake itself apart.
 
So in this sense, these quantum effects are responsible for holding DNA together."