Betony Adams, Abbas Hassasfar, Ilya Sinayskiy, Alistair Nunn, Geoffrey Guy and Francesco Petruccione 2026. Quantum Effects in Evolution: Terrestrial Fine-Tuning of Magnetic Parameters. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal. 35 (4) 0125. https://doi.org/10.34133/csbj.0125
| Title | Quantum Effects in Evolution: Terrestrial Fine-Tuning of Magnetic Parameters |
|---|---|
| Type | Journal article |
| Authors | Betony Adams, Abbas Hassasfar, Ilya Sinayskiy, Alistair Nunn, Geoffrey Guy and Francesco Petruccione |
| Abstract | All life on Earth shares an evolution that is coupled to specific environmental conditions, including the geomagnetic field, which would suggest that biological materials have evolved some degree of magnetic sensitivity. Mounting evidence supports the idea that living organisms can detect and respond to weak magnetic fields, and the radical pair mechanism provides a plausible quantum-level basis for magnetic field sensitivity in biological processes. In the context of evolution, however, fundamental questions remain. How does natural selection act on quantum phenomena such as spin dynamics? What evolutionary pressures have tuned or preserved magnetic sensitivity at the quantum level? In this paper, we offer some potential answers, by closer inspection of the spin Hamiltonian central to the radical pair mechanism. We focus on the fact that hyperfine coupling constants are determined by the local protein environment, which is specified by genetic sequence. Variations in these parameters can alter reactive oxygen species (ROS) outcomes, providing a potential pathway by which quantum-level effects influence organism fitness and possible selection. As proof of principle, we employ a simple qualitative model to demonstrate how variations in nuclear spin, hyperfine coupling strength, and anisotropy might alter ROS levels under different magnetic field conditions. Although these ideas remain speculative, they suggest a framework for investigating how magnetic environments may have influenced the evolution of biological function, with implications for health, disease, and adaptation to altered magnetic environments. |
| Article number | 0125 |
| Journal | Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal |
| Journal citation | 35 (4) |
| ISSN | 2001-0370 |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publisher | American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| Publisher's version | License CC BY 4.0 File Access Level Open (open metadata and files) |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.34133/csbj.0125 |
| Web address (URL) | https://doi.org/10.34133/csbj.0125 |
| Publication dates | |
| Published | 04 Jun 2026 |