Monday, January 10, 2011

Birds Might Actually Be Using Quantum Mechanics to Navigate

Birds might actually be using quantum mechanics to find their way through the skies. "For our purposes, the exact mechanisms of quantum entanglement don't really matter. The crucial bit is that the magnetic field might disrupt the entanglement between two electrons in a light-sensitive protein inside a robin's eye. If that really is the case, it would be nothing short of amazing - in laboratory conditions, quantum entanglement has only been possible for about 80 microseconds at a time, and then only in ultra cold conditions close to absolute zero. But the research indicates robins can sustain entanglement for 100 microseconds while flying around at room temperature."

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