Quantum biology revisited

Photosynthesis is a highly optimized process from which valuable lessons can be learned about the operating principles in nature. Its primary steps involve energy transport operating near theoretical quantum limits in efficiency. Recently, extensive research was motivated by the hypothesis that nature used quantum coherences to direct energy transfer. This body of work, a cornerstone for the field of quantum biology, rests on the interpretation of small-amplitude oscillations in two-dimensional electronic spectra of photosynthetic complexes. This Review discusses recent work reexamining these claims and demonstrates that interexciton coherences are too short lived to have any functional significance in…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: PHY-1607570, grant CHE-1665367, CHE 1836913, CHE 1800301
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: DE-SC 0001035, DE-SC0016384
• JH
  Joachim Herz Stiftung
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: EXC 2056 - project ID 390715994, EXC 2089/1390776260
• GA
  Grantová Agentura České Republiky

  Award: grant 17-22160S
• SF
  Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas
• KO
  Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse