What is quantum biology? Philip Ball explains how strange quantum effects take place in the messy world of biology, and how these are behind familiar biological phenomena such as smell, enzymes and bird's migration.
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In this guest curated event on quantum biology, Jim Al-Khalili invited Philip Ball to introduce how the mysteries of quantum theory might manifest themselves at the biological level. Here he explains how the baffling yet powerful theory of the baffling yet powerful theory of the subatomic world might play an important role in biological processes.

Philip Ball is a science writer, writing regularly for Nature and having contributed to publications ranging from New Scientist to the New York Times. He is the author of many popular books on science, including works on the nature of water, pattern formation in the natural world, colour in art, and the cognition of music, and he has also broadcast on many occasions on radio and TV.

Jim Al-Khalili is Professor of Theoretical Physics and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at University of Surrey. He is author of several popular science books and appears regularly on radio and television. In 2007, he was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for Science Communication.

This event took place at the Royal Institution on 28 January 2015.

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Philip Ball is a science writer, writing regularly for Nature and having contributed to publications ranging from New Scientist to the New York Times.

He is the author of many popular books on science, including works on the nature of water, pattern formation in the natural world, colour in art, and the cognition of music.

He has also broadcast on many occasions on radio and TV.

Download the transcript of this talk: https://www.philipball.co.uk/articles...

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