In a new podcast episode, Greg Engel explains how scientists could better understand disease by exploring the mechanics of photosynthesis.
Engel is a pioneering University of Chicago biophysicist who helped launch the field of quantum biology.
We’ve long marveled at how efficiently plants convert sunlight into energy—but no one guessed they were using quantum mechanics to do it.
Engel’s team has already built quantum sensors inspired by nature’s designs, with the potential to transform how we detect disease, develop drugs, and even read neural signals.
The ultimate goal? A new era of quantum medicine, powered by the weird and wonderful physics found in leaves.
In this episode, Engel explains how plants and bacteria evolved to exploit quantum effects for photosynthesis—and how understanding these systems could spark a revolution in quantum sensing, medicine, and neuroscience:
Read the transcript of this episode.
Source: University of Chicago
