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Insights into plant consciousness from neuroscience, physics and mathematics: a role for quasicrystals?

John C. Gardiner

Plant Signaling & Behavior August 17, 2012 DOI: 10.4161/psb.21325 (opens in new tab)

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AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Keywords Microtubules Ribosomes Animals Plants Crystallization Consciousness Neurosciences Electricity Fractals Quantum theory Models, biological
Key points Argues that plants may be conscious, proposing that their aperiodic quasicrystal ribosome structures could enable quantum computing, a mechanism suggested to lie at the core of animal consciousness, and that microtubule function and electrical gamma wave synchrony may also play a role in plants.

Abstract

There is considerable debate over whether plants are conscious and this, indeed, is an important question. Here I look at developments in neuroscience, physics and mathematics that may impact on this question. Two major concomitants of consciousness in animals are microtubule function and electrical gamma wave synchrony. Both these factors may also play a role in plant consciousness. I show that plants possess aperiodic quasicrystal structures composed of ribosomes that may enable quantum computing, which has been suggested to lie at the core of animal consciousness. Finally I look at whether a microtubule fractal suggests that electric current plays a part in conventional neurocomputing processes in plants.

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