Rainbow And The Worm, The: The Physics Of Organisms (3rd Edition)This highly unusual book began as a serious inquiry into Schrödinger's question, “What is life?”, and as a celebration of life itself. It takes the reader on a voyage of discovery through many areas of contemporary physics, from non-equilibrium thermodynamics and quantum optics to liquid crystals and fractals, all necessary for illuminating the problem of life. In the process, the reader is treated to a rare and exquisite view of the organism, gaining novel insights not only into the physics, but also into “the poetry and meaning of being alive.”This much-enlarged third edition includes new findings on the central role of biological water in organizing living processes; it also completes the author's novel theory of the organism and its applications in ecology, physiology and brain science. |
Contents
CHAPTER 1 WHAT IS IT TO BE ALIVE? | 1 |
CHAPTER 2 DO ORGANISMS CONTRAVENE THE SECOND LAW? | 13 |
CHAPTER 3 CAN THE SECOND LAW COPE WITH ORGANISED COMPLEXITY? | 24 |
CHAPTER 4 ENERGY FLOW AND LIVING CYCLES | 38 |
CHAPTER 5 HOW TO CATCH A FALLING ELECTRON | 62 |
CHAPTER 6 TOWARDS A THERMODYNAMICS OF ORGANISED COMPLEXITY | 79 |
CHAPTER 7 SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS AS ORGANISMS | 97 |
CHAPTER 8 THE SEVENTYTHREE OCTAVES OF NATURES MUSIC | 109 |
CHAPTER 13 HOW COHERENT IS THE ORGANISM? SENSITIVITY TO WEAK ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS | 179 |
CHAPTER 14 LIFE IS ALL THE COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW IN A WORM | 192 |
CHAPTER 15 THE LIQUID CRYSTALLINE ORGANISM | 212 |
CHAPTER 16 CRYSTAL CONSCIOUSNESS | 228 |
CHAPTER 17 LIQUID CRYSTALLINE WATER | 246 |
CHAPTER 18 QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT AND COHERENCE | 269 |
CHAPTER 19 IGNORANCE OF THE EXTERNAL OBSERVER | 302 |
CHAPTER 20 TIME AND FREEWILL | 317 |
CHAPTER 9 COHERENT EXCITATIONS OF THE BODY ELECTRIC | 124 |
CHAPTER 10 THE SOLIDSTATE CELL | 132 |
CHAPTER 11 LIFE IS A LITTLE ELECTRIC CURRENT | 148 |
CHAPTER 12 HOW COHERENT IS THE ORGANISM? THE HEARTBEAT OF HEALTH | 158 |
REFERENCES | 337 |
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Common terms and phrases
activities acupuncture aligned atoms biological biophotons body brain Chapter chemical coherent energy coherent excitations collagen connective tissues consciousness correlation coupled cycles delocalised Denbigh dipole domain dynamic effect electric field electrodynamical electromagnetic fields electron embryos emission energy flow energy levels energy storage energy transfer entangled enzyme experience fractal free energy frequency heart rhythm heartbeat heat hence hydrogen bonds individual interactions intercommunication involved light liquid crystalline liquid crystals living organisms living system macroscopic magnetic field measurement metabolic microstates molecular Morowitz muscle nanotubes nature non-equilibrium observed occurs oscillating particles pattern phase transition photon physicist physics polarising processes proteins quantum coherence Quantum Entanglement quantum mechanical quantum superposition quantum theory radiation random reactions resonance result Schro¨dinger Schro¨dinger’s Science in Society scientists Second Law sensitive signals solid-state space space-time space-time structure specific stored energy sustainable systems temperature thermodynamic equilibrium University vibrations water molecules wave function whole zero zero-entropy model