Edd Gent in Singularity Hub:
Fragile quantum states might seem incompatible with the messy world of biology. But researchers have now coaxed cells to produce quantum sensors made of proteins. Quantum states are incredibly sensitive to changes in the environment. This is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they can sense physical properties with unprecedented precision. At the same time, they’re extremely delicate and hard to work with. This sensitivity makes it challenging to create quantum sensors that work in living systems, which are warm, biochemically active, and in constant motion. Scientists have tried to integrate various kinds of synthetic quantum sensors into biology, but they’ve been bedeviled by problems related to targeting, efficiency, and durability.
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