--- title: "Scientists Suggest Our Brains Work Like Quantum Computers" description: "A study conducted by scientists from Trinity College Dublin could suggest that quantum processes are involved in the functions of our brains." date: "2022-10-20" modified: "2022-10-20" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/brains-work-like-quantum-computers" categories: - "Computers" - "Computing" - "Physics" - "Robots and Machines" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "brain" - "quantum computing" - "quantum physics" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Suggest Our Brains Work Like Quantum Computers ![A study conducted by scientists from Trinity College Dublin could suggest that quantum processes are involved in the functions of our brains.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Brain Power As physicists endeavor to build bigger and better quantum computers, a powerful one may have already been lurking inside our heads all along. In a [new study]() published this month in the *Journal of Physics Communications,* a team of scientists from Trinity College Dublin suggest that our brains could actually be using quantum computation. If confirmed — something that will require extensive investigation — the finding could help explain why, in certain respects, our brains still outdo supercomputers. ## Quantum Cerebrum Their conclusion relies on the idea of quantum entanglement, a phenomenon describing particles changing each other's quantum state, even when they are separated by a large distance. "We adapted an idea, developed for experiments to prove the existence of quantum gravity, whereby you take known quantum systems, which interact with an unknown system," said Christian Kerskens, study co-author and lead physicist at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, [in a statement](). "If the known systems entangle, then the unknown must be a quantum system, too," he explained. "It circumvents the difficulties to find measuring devices for something we know nothing about." In the case of this experiment, the proton spins of the water in our brains served as the "known system." Kerskens and his team then used a special form of MRI imaging to detect if any of the proton spins were quantum entangled. Curiously, the scientists ended up detecting a specific kind of electrical brain signal known as heartbeat evoked potentials, which they say is normally not detectable with MRIs. What allowed them to detect those potentials, the scientists suggest, is quantum entanglement in proton spins in the brain. "If entanglement is the only possible explanation here then that would mean that brain processes must have interacted with the nuclear spins, mediating the entanglement between the nuclear spins," Kerskens concluded. "As a result, we can deduce that those brain functions must be quantum." ## Entangled Thoughts All in all, it's an intriguing suggestion, but there's a lot more that needs to be proven. For one, the study rides on relatively recent proposals in the field of quantum gravity. And, as the scientists in the study admit, their efforts were largely undertaken through the perspective of quantum physics. In short, to prove their theory, it'd require a substantial multidisciplinary effort, especially considering the complexity of the human brain — but it's a tantalizing possibility, nonetheless. **More on quantum computing:** *[Oxford Physicist Unloads on Quantum Computing Industry, Says It's Basically a Hype Bubble]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()