When electrons “reveal” the secret of life

Have you ever wondered why a leaf bends toward the sunlight? What seems obvious actually stems from invisible “light switches” within cells – the LOV proteins (Light-Oxygen-Voltage). Found everywhere, from plants and bacteria to the human body, these proteins quietly enable life to sense and respond to light.

But how do these tiny proteins turn light into action? The surprising answer lies in the quantum world of electrons.

At Horizons 2025 in Hanoi, hosted by VinUni Center for Environmental Intelligence (CEI), Professor Songi Han (Northwestern University) revealed this extraordinary mechanism:

• AsLOV2, a natural protein, absorbs blue light and its electrons jump into a special triplet state, triggering a cascade of mechanical motion.
• MAGLOV, an engineered variant, not only moves in response to light but also emits light in a magnetic-field-sensitive manner, transforming the protein into a quantum sensor of life.

Notably, water – often considered a passive background – acts as the “wire” that transmits electron signals, linking light to biological action. Using ultra-precise EPR/NMR techniques (like an advanced “microscope” of MRI), operating at extreme magnetic fields and near-absolute zero temperatures, scientists have observed life at the electron level, where quantum physics meets biology.

This discovery not only changes how we understand life but also opens daring avenues for ultra-sensitive biosensors, precision medicine, and nature-inspired quantum technologies.

Horizons 2025 has become a stage where the world’s leading minds come together to unlock these secrets – in which the story of electrons is told not only in the language of science but also plants seeds for a future of technology for a better life for all.