Posted on 03/24/2011 8:01:58 AM PDT by decimon
The theory that our sense of smell has its basis in quantum physics events is gaining traction, say researchers.
The idea remains controversial, but scientists reporting at the American Physical Society meeting in Dallas, US, are slowly unpicking how it could work.
The key, they say, is tiny packets of energy, or quanta, lost by electrons.
Experiments using tiny wires show that as electrons move on proteins within the nose, odor molecules could absorb these quanta and thereby be detected.
If the theory is right, by extending these studies, an "electronic nose" superior to any chemical sensor could be devised.
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But in 1996, Luca Turin, now of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, suggested that the "vibrational modes" of an odorant were its signature.
Molecules can be viewed as a collection of atoms on springs, and energy of just the right frequency - a quantum - can cause the spring to vibrate.
Since different assemblages of molecules have different characteristic frequencies, Turin proposed, these vibrations could act as a molecular signature.
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(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Says the cat ping.
'Nuff said.
I really do not need quantum physics to explain that terrible smell coming from the White House.
A story about an electronic nose and there’s the quote “and they’re slowly unpicking it”. Have you no shame?
The gas company’s already have ‘sniffers’, so what makes this different?
did the smell kill the cat?
Awesome science
Mike
If “picking it” is taking boogers out, then UN-picking it is....
You're on to something.
If our nose picks up the vibrations, and they invent a tool that can read the vibrations, then they can also generate the vibrations.
It'll be Dr. Scratch & Sniff on steroids!!! Any smell you want anywhere. Think of the uses! Pheremones, Agriculture, Dog Training, Crowd Dispersal, Delicious Cinnamon Roll smells regardless of how bad the cooks are, ....
Thanks for posting this! There’s a terrific book about Luca Turin - “The Emperor of Scent”. I’ve been following this story for a few years now. His rivals won the Nobel prize for their opposing theory of scent. I never bought it. Looks like Turin is finally gaining the respect he deserves.
DeBroglie was of course correct, everything is just waves in vibrations if you get small enough.
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