Not what we thought?
So it's possible that the first quantum computer will be a tank of pond scum in the data center????
Or maybe this isn't a joke... dunno'.
Researchers looking at the way algae use quantum mechanics in photosynthesis have found a genetic switch that turns the critters' “quantum coherence” on or off. It's been known for some time that photosynthesis takes advantage of quantum mechanics to improve light harvesting. As this IOP Science article explains in some depth …
Exactly, that occasional moment when one suddenly sees a solution without directly applying any reasoning to it (as a facile example: the countdown conundrum - sometimes people see the solution straight away - far faster than they could have consciously cognised all the letters and jumbled them around).
I've always wondered how that works - how a solution can suddenly be "seen" without any iterative thinking/reasoning. Now I'm not saying that we have quantum brains, but there is definitely something very non-classical going on. Cool stuff.
"'Quantum walk' refers to a kind of quantum mechanical solution to the 'travelling salesman' problem. Instead of an iterative path-by-path test of the possible paths through a network, the quantum 'walker' exists as a superposition of states across many many paths. Those states can converge quickly on the optimal path."
Could it be... D-Wave?