Over the past couple decades, research has yielded that spooky particulate effects previously thought to only occur in isolated laboratory conditions have been found to be likely pivotal in various biological processes such as photosynthesis and even the sense of smell.
July 2016
On the more speculative side, there are now experiments being designed to test various theories of consciousness based on these previously unimaginable warm quantum effects:
BBC’s Jim Al-Khlili has presented a series of very accessible physics documentaries I’ve found to be illuminating on the details for anyone into this sort of thing. He’s also co-authored a book on the subject in 2014 entitled Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology wherein he talks about current speculations as to quantum effects playing a pivotal role in evolution via ‘proton teleportation’ in DNA mutations.
In short, his view is that " consciousness occurs due to quantum vibrations in brain microtubules."
Further to that he adds “If the connection to fundamental space-time geometry is also validated, Orch OR may provide a bridge between neuroscience and more spiritual approaches to consciousness.”
Also noteworthy is that Prof. Roger Penrose published a new book last year entitled “Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe”.
Based on my rudimentary understanding of the Orch-OR theory (and there’re some illuminating diagrams in the second “Faith” section of the book), it is saying that precisely when undeterminably superposed particle probability fields ‘collapse’ to a definite state is ‘where’ the act of volition is to be found.
Penrose has been saying for the past couple years now in a few longer YouTube talks that there’s a test being designed (much like the “Bell test experiments”) in collaboration with experimental physicist Dirk Bouwemeester in which we may find out in the next decade or so whether the hardcore physics aspects of his controversial theory pans out.
