🧠 Roger Penrose's theory suggests that the human brain uses quantum effects in microtubules as the origin of consciousness.

🔬 Microtubules are essential components of all cells, playing a significant role in signal transport in the brain. They are polymers made of tubulin that form tube-like structures.

⚛️ Penrose argues that consciousness cannot be explained by computable processes, proposing that the collapse of the wave-function in quantum mechanics is key to conscious thought.

🌡️ However, the human brain's warm and noisy environment poses challenges for sustaining quantum effects, which typically require extreme conditions to function.

🤝 Penrose collaborated with neurobiologist Stuart Hameroff, who suggested that microtubules could synchronize due to quantum effects, potentially allowing these effects to influence consciousness.

📄 A new study claims to provide evidence that microtubules exhibit quantum effects, specifically a process called superradiance, which enhances light emission through quantum links between molecules.

🔍 The researchers built a computer model and conducted laboratory tests, finding that tubulin molecules can display quantum effects even at room temperature, indicating robustness against environmental noise.

☀️ Additionally, these quantum effects may improve the absorption of ultraviolet light, potentially protecting cells from damage. The researchers suggest that failures in these effects could relate to degenerative brain diseases.

❓ While the findings are intriguing, there remains a significant gap between the existence of quantum effects in the brain and their role in consciousness.