Radical-pair mechanism - Revision history

Idea: Idea moved page Archive:Radical-pair mechanism to Radical-pair mechanism

2026-09-29T04:51:38Z

Idea moved page Archive:Radical-pair mechanism to Radical-pair mechanism

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Idea at 04:40, 29 September 2026

2026-09-29T04:40:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:40, 29 September 2026
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	~~{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}<!-- Please do not remove or change this AfD message until the discussion has been closed. -->~~
	~~{{Article for deletion/dated\|page=Radical-pair mechanism\|timestamp=20260925074445\|year=2026\|month=September\|day=25\|substed=yes\|help=off\|outcome=redirecting\|target=Magnetoreception#Cryptochrome}}~~
	~~<!-- Once discussion is closed, please place on talk page: {{Old AfD multi\|page=Radical-pair mechanism\|date=25 September 2026\|result='''keep'''}} -->~~
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	[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|upright=2\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]<ref name="Hore Mouritsen 2022">{{cite journal \|last1=Hore \|first1=Peter J. \|author1-link=Peter Hore (chemist) \|last2=Mouritsen \|first2=Henrik \|date=April 2022 \|title=The Quantum Nature of Bird Migration \|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-migrating-birds-use-quantum-effects-to-navigate/ \|journal=[[Scientific American]] \|pages=24–29}}</ref>]]		[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|upright=2\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]<ref name="Hore Mouritsen 2022">{{cite journal \|last1=Hore \|first1=Peter J. \|author1-link=Peter Hore (chemist) \|last2=Mouritsen \|first2=Henrik \|date=April 2022 \|title=The Quantum Nature of Bird Migration \|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-migrating-birds-use-quantum-effects-to-navigate/ \|journal=[[Scientific American]] \|pages=24–29}}</ref>]]

Waza: 19 revisions imported: AfD preservation: Radical-pair mechanism (CC BY-SA)

2026-09-29T04:25:19Z

19 revisions imported: AfD preservation: Radical-pair mechanism (CC BY-SA)

← Older revision	Revision as of 04:25, 29 September 2026
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wikipedia>Preimage: Citation (Kominis 2015): add journal doi; detag (arXiv source was the only reason given for previous tagging)

2026-09-25T07:57:11Z

Citation (Kominis 2015): add journal doi; detag (arXiv source was the only reason given for previous tagging)

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:57, 25 September 2026
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	== Mechanism ==		== Mechanism ==
	A [[Radical (chemistry)\|radical]] is a molecule with an unpaired [[valence electron]]; thus, a pair of radicals is a radical pair. In the radical-pair mechanism, the unpaired electrons of the radical pair are [[Spin (physics)\|spin]]-correlated, oscillating (more precisely, undergoing [[quantum beats]]) between a [[singlet state]] where the spins of the two electrons are antiparallel and a [[triplet state]] where they are parallel. This oscillation is generally in the MHz to GHz frequency range.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal \|last=Zadeh-Haghighi \|first=Hadi \|last2=Simon \|first2=Christoph \|date=2022-08-01 \|title=Magnetic field effects in biology from the perspective of the radical pair mechanism \|url=https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2022.0325 \|journal=Journal of The Royal Society Interface \|volume=19 \|issue=193 \|pages= \|doi=10.1098/rsif.2022.0325 \|issn=1742-5689}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal \|last=Hore \|first=P. J. \|date=2025-03-07 \|title=Magneto-oncology: a radical pair primer \|url=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1539718/full \|journal=Frontiers in Oncology \|language=English \|publisher=Frontiers \|volume=15 \|doi=10.3389/fonc.2025.1539718 \|issn=2234-943X \|doi-access=free}}</ref> The radical pair spin correlation state can interact with its environment via the [[Zeeman effect\|Zeeman]] and [[Hyperfine interaction\|hyperfine interactions]], particularly with external magnetic fields, which influence the extent and timing of the state oscillation, and consequently the probability that any given pair of radicals will chemically react to form the singlet product (the product produced by the reaction when the pair is in a singlet state) or the triplet product (vice versa). As this probability changes over the whole system, the proportions of the singlet and triplet products change proportionally.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3">{{~~Cite web~~ \|title=The radical-pair mechanism as a paradigm for the emerging science of quantum biology \|~~url~~=~~https://arxiv.org/html/1512.00450v2~~ \|~~access-~~date=~~2026-09-23~~ \|~~website~~=~~arxiv.org~~\|~~date~~=~~2016~~\|~~last~~=~~Kominis~~\|~~first~~=~~Iannis K~~.}}</ref>		A [[Radical (chemistry)\|radical]] is a molecule with an unpaired [[valence electron]]; thus, a pair of radicals is a radical pair. In the radical-pair mechanism, the unpaired electrons of the radical pair are [[Spin (physics)\|spin]]-correlated, oscillating (more precisely, undergoing [[quantum beats]]) between a [[singlet state]] where the spins of the two electrons are antiparallel and a [[triplet state]] where they are parallel. This oscillation is generally in the MHz to GHz frequency range.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal \|last=Zadeh-Haghighi \|first=Hadi \|last2=Simon \|first2=Christoph \|date=2022-08-01 \|title=Magnetic field effects in biology from the perspective of the radical pair mechanism \|url=https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2022.0325 \|journal=Journal of The Royal Society Interface \|volume=19 \|issue=193 \|pages= \|doi=10.1098/rsif.2022.0325 \|issn=1742-5689}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal \|last=Hore \|first=P. J. \|date=2025-03-07 \|title=Magneto-oncology: a radical pair primer \|url=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1539718/full \|journal=Frontiers in Oncology \|language=English \|publisher=Frontiers \|volume=15 \|doi=10.3389/fonc.2025.1539718 \|issn=2234-943X \|doi-access=free}}</ref> The radical pair spin correlation state can interact with its environment via the [[Zeeman effect\|Zeeman]] and [[Hyperfine interaction\|hyperfine interactions]], particularly with external magnetic fields, which influence the extent and timing of the state oscillation, and consequently the probability that any given pair of radicals will chemically react to form the singlet product (the product produced by the reaction when the pair is in a singlet state) or the triplet product (vice versa). As this probability changes over the whole system, the proportions of the singlet and triplet products change proportionally.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3">{{cite journal \|last1=Kominis \|first1=Iannis K. \|title=The radical-pair mechanism as a paradigm for the emerging science of quantum biology \|journal=[[Modern Physics Letters B]] \|date=December 2015 \|volume=29 \|issue=Supplement 1 \|pages=1530013 \|doi=10.1142/S0217984915300136 \|arxiv=1512.00450v2}}</ref>

	When a [[static magnetic field]], or an oscillating magnetic field with a frequency significantly below 1 MHz (as 1 [[Microsecond\|μs]] is roughly the lifetime of a radical pair), is applied to a radical pair, transitions between the singlet and triplet state are dominated by the hyperfine interaction below roughly 100 [[Millitesla\|mT]] and by the Zeeman interaction above this value. Higher-frequency magnetic field oscillations show peaks at the [[Larmor frequency]] with strong magnetic fields and at the energy difference between the highest and lowest spin states with weak magnetic fields. The radical-pair mechanism can be amplified by the presence of [[Paramagnetism\|paramagnetic]] species reacting with one of the radicals, or by [[autocatalysis]] caused by the oscillation of the radical pair.<ref name=":4" />		When a [[static magnetic field]], or an oscillating magnetic field with a frequency significantly below 1 MHz (as 1 [[Microsecond\|μs]] is roughly the lifetime of a radical pair), is applied to a radical pair, transitions between the singlet and triplet state are dominated by the hyperfine interaction below roughly 100 [[Millitesla\|mT]] and by the Zeeman interaction above this value. Higher-frequency magnetic field oscillations show peaks at the [[Larmor frequency]] with strong magnetic fields and at the energy difference between the highest and lowest spin states with weak magnetic fields. The radical-pair mechanism can be amplified by the presence of [[Paramagnetism\|paramagnetic]] species reacting with one of the radicals, or by [[autocatalysis]] caused by the oscillation of the radical pair.<ref name=":4" />
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	== Discovery ==		== Discovery ==
	The radical-pair mechanism was first described in the late 1960s to explain the phenomena of [[chemically-induced dynamic electron polarization]] (CIDEP) and [[Chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization\|chemically-induced dynamic nuclear polarization]] (CIDNP): that is, anomalously large [[electron spin resonance]] and [[nuclear magnetic resonance]] signal values, respectively, in organic-molecule chemical reactions.<ref name=":3" />~~{{Unreliable source?\|date=September 2026}}~~ It was first applied to a theory of [[avian magnetoreception]] in the 1970s by Schulten et al.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal \|last=Adams \|first=Betony \|last2=Sinayskiy \|first2=Ilya \|last3=Petruccione \|first3=Francesco \|date=2018-10-24 \|title=An open quantum system approach to the radical pair mechanism \|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34007-4 \|journal=Scientific Reports \|language=en \|publisher=Nature Publishing Group \|volume=8 \|issue=1 \|pages=15719 \|doi=10.1038/s41598-018-34007-4 \|issn=2045-2322\|doi-access=free}}</ref>		The radical-pair mechanism was first described in the late 1960s to explain the phenomena of [[chemically-induced dynamic electron polarization]] (CIDEP) and [[Chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization\|chemically-induced dynamic nuclear polarization]] (CIDNP): that is, anomalously large [[electron spin resonance]] and [[nuclear magnetic resonance]] signal values, respectively, in organic-molecule chemical reactions.<ref name=":3" /> It was first applied to a theory of [[avian magnetoreception]] in the 1970s by Schulten et al.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal \|last=Adams \|first=Betony \|last2=Sinayskiy \|first2=Ilya \|last3=Petruccione \|first3=Francesco \|date=2018-10-24 \|title=An open quantum system approach to the radical pair mechanism \|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34007-4 \|journal=Scientific Reports \|language=en \|publisher=Nature Publishing Group \|volume=8 \|issue=1 \|pages=15719 \|doi=10.1038/s41598-018-34007-4 \|issn=2045-2322\|doi-access=free}}</ref>

	== See also ==		== See also ==

wikipedia>Ldm1954: Nominated for redirecting; see :Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Radical-pair mechanism.

2026-09-25T07:44:45Z

Nominated for redirecting; see Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Radical-pair mechanism.

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:44, 25 September 2026
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	{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|upright=2\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]<ref name="Hore Mouritsen 2022">{{cite journal \|last1=Hore \|first1=Peter J. \|author1-link=Peter Hore (chemist) \|last2=Mouritsen \|first2=Henrik \|date=April 2022 \|title=The Quantum Nature of Bird Migration \|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-migrating-birds-use-quantum-effects-to-navigate/ \|journal=[[Scientific American]] \|pages=24–29}}</ref>]]		{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}<!-- Please do not remove or change this AfD message until the discussion has been closed. -->
			{{Article for deletion/dated\|page=Radical-pair mechanism\|timestamp=20260925074445\|year=2026\|month=September\|day=25\|substed=yes\|help=off\|outcome=redirecting\|target=Magnetoreception#Cryptochrome}}
			<!-- Once discussion is closed, please place on talk page: {{Old AfD multi\|page=Radical-pair mechanism\|date=25 September 2026\|result='''keep'''}} -->
			<!-- End of AfD message, feel free to edit beyond this point -->
			[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|upright=2\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]<ref name="Hore Mouritsen 2022">{{cite journal \|last1=Hore \|first1=Peter J. \|author1-link=Peter Hore (chemist) \|last2=Mouritsen \|first2=Henrik \|date=April 2022 \|title=The Quantum Nature of Bird Migration \|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-migrating-birds-use-quantum-effects-to-navigate/ \|journal=[[Scientific American]] \|pages=24–29}}</ref>]]

	In [[quantum biology]], the '''radical-pair mechanism''' is a proposed [[Spin chemistry\|spin-chemistry]] explanation for [[magnetoreception]], the ability for an organism to sense weak magnetic fields. It has been significantly studied in the context of [[bird migration]].		In [[quantum biology]], the '''radical-pair mechanism''' is a proposed [[Spin chemistry\|spin-chemistry]] explanation for [[magnetoreception]], the ability for an organism to sense weak magnetic fields. It has been significantly studied in the context of [[bird migration]].

wikipedia>Ldm1954: Can't use archives

2026-09-25T06:52:05Z

Can't use archives

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:52, 25 September 2026
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	== Discovery ==		== Discovery ==
	The radical-pair mechanism was first described in the late 1960s to explain the phenomena of [[chemically-induced dynamic electron polarization]] (CIDEP) and [[Chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization\|chemically-induced dynamic nuclear polarization]] (CIDNP): that is, anomalously large [[electron spin resonance]] and [[nuclear magnetic resonance]] signal values, respectively, in organic-molecule chemical reactions.<ref name=":3" /> It was first applied to a theory of [[avian magnetoreception]] in the 1970s by Schulten et al.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal \|last=Adams \|first=Betony \|last2=Sinayskiy \|first2=Ilya \|last3=Petruccione \|first3=Francesco \|date=2018-10-24 \|title=An open quantum system approach to the radical pair mechanism \|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34007-4 \|journal=Scientific Reports \|language=en \|publisher=Nature Publishing Group \|volume=8 \|issue=1 \|pages=15719 \|doi=10.1038/s41598-018-34007-4 \|issn=2045-2322\|doi-access=free}}</ref>		The radical-pair mechanism was first described in the late 1960s to explain the phenomena of [[chemically-induced dynamic electron polarization]] (CIDEP) and [[Chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization\|chemically-induced dynamic nuclear polarization]] (CIDNP): that is, anomalously large [[electron spin resonance]] and [[nuclear magnetic resonance]] signal values, respectively, in organic-molecule chemical reactions.<ref name=":3" />{{Unreliable source?\|date=September 2026}} It was first applied to a theory of [[avian magnetoreception]] in the 1970s by Schulten et al.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal \|last=Adams \|first=Betony \|last2=Sinayskiy \|first2=Ilya \|last3=Petruccione \|first3=Francesco \|date=2018-10-24 \|title=An open quantum system approach to the radical pair mechanism \|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34007-4 \|journal=Scientific Reports \|language=en \|publisher=Nature Publishing Group \|volume=8 \|issue=1 \|pages=15719 \|doi=10.1038/s41598-018-34007-4 \|issn=2045-2322\|doi-access=free}}</ref>

	== See also ==		== See also ==

wikipedia>DeemDeem52: /* Human brain interactions */ ce

2026-09-24T16:02:38Z

Human brain interactions: ce

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:02, 24 September 2026
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	=== Human brain interactions ===		=== Human brain interactions ===
	The radical-pair mechanism is thought to play a role in the use of [[Xenon anaesthesia\|xenon as an anaesthetic]] due to observed [[electron-spin resonance]] signals. Xenon interacts with [[tryptophan]], which forms a radical pair and can subsequently interact with [[NMDA receptor\|NMDA receptors]]. Radical-pair models have similarly been applied to the use of [[Lithium (medication)\|lithium salts]] as [[Mood stabilizer\|mood stabilizers]] or impactors of the [[circadian clock]], as well as to the effects of hypomagnetic fields (i.e. magnetic fields with less intensity than the [[Earth's magnetic field]]) on the attenuation of [[neurogenesis]] in adults; all of these models have been proposed to involve radical pairs of [[FADH]] and oxygen).<ref name=":1" />		The radical-pair mechanism is thought to play a role in the use of [[Xenon anaesthesia\|xenon as an anaesthetic]] due to observed [[electron-spin resonance]] signals. Xenon interacts with [[tryptophan]], which forms a radical pair and can subsequently interact with [[NMDA receptor\|NMDA receptors]]. Radical-pair models have similarly been applied to the use of [[Lithium (medication)\|lithium salts]] as [[Mood stabilizer\|mood stabilizers]] or impactors of the [[circadian clock]], as well as to the effects of hypomagnetic fields (i.e. magnetic fields with less intensity than the [[Earth's magnetic field]]) on the attenuation of [[neurogenesis]] in adults; all of these models have been proposed to involve radical pairs of [[FADH]] and oxygen.<ref name=":1" />

	== Discovery ==		== Discovery ==

wikipedia>DeemDeem52 at 14:31, 24 September 2026

2026-09-24T14:31:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:31, 24 September 2026
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	{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]]]		{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|upright=2\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]<ref name="Hore Mouritsen 2022">{{cite journal \|last1=Hore \|first1=Peter J. \|author1-link=Peter Hore (chemist) \|last2=Mouritsen \|first2=Henrik \|date=April 2022 \|title=The Quantum Nature of Bird Migration \|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-migrating-birds-use-quantum-effects-to-navigate/ \|journal=[[Scientific American]] \|pages=24–29}}</ref>]]

	In [[quantum biology]], the '''radical-pair mechanism''' is a proposed [[Spin chemistry\|spin-chemistry]] explanation for [[magnetoreception]], the ability for an organism to sense weak magnetic fields. It has been significantly studied in the context of [[bird migration]].		In [[quantum biology]], the '''radical-pair mechanism''' is a proposed [[Spin chemistry\|spin-chemistry]] explanation for [[magnetoreception]], the ability for an organism to sense weak magnetic fields. It has been significantly studied in the context of [[bird migration]].

wikipedia>DeemDeem52 at 14:30, 24 September 2026

2026-09-24T14:30:33Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:30, 24 September 2026
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	{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}		{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]]]

	In [[quantum biology]], the '''radical-pair mechanism''' is a proposed [[Spin chemistry\|spin-chemistry]] explanation for [[magnetoreception]], the ability for an organism to sense weak magnetic fields. It has been significantly studied in the context of [[bird migration]].		In [[quantum biology]], the '''radical-pair mechanism''' is a proposed [[Spin chemistry\|spin-chemistry]] explanation for [[magnetoreception]], the ability for an organism to sense weak magnetic fields. It has been significantly studied in the context of [[bird migration]].

wikipedia>GhostInTheMachine: undraft

2026-09-24T07:16:52Z

undraft

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:16, 24 September 2026
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	{{Reflist}}		{{Reflist}}

	~~{{Draft categories\|~~[[Category:Magnetoreception]]		[[Category:Magnetoreception]]
	[[Category:Quantum biology]]		[[Category:Quantum biology]]
	[[Category:Physical chemistry]]		[[Category:Physical chemistry]]
	}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:44, 25 September 2026
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	{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|upright=2\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]<ref name="Hore Mouritsen 2022">{{cite journal \|last1=Hore \|first1=Peter J. \|author1-link=Peter Hore (chemist) \|last2=Mouritsen \|first2=Henrik \|date=April 2022 \|title=The Quantum Nature of Bird Migration \|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-migrating-birds-use-quantum-effects-to-navigate/ \|journal=[[Scientific American]] \|pages=24–29}}</ref>]]		{{Short description\|Theory in quantum biology}}<!-- Please do not remove or change this AfD message until the discussion has been closed. -->
			{{Article for deletion/dated\|page=Radical-pair mechanism\|timestamp=20260925074445\|year=2026\|month=September\|day=25\|substed=yes\|help=off\|outcome=redirecting\|target=Magnetoreception#Cryptochrome}}
			<!-- Once discussion is closed, please place on talk page: {{Old AfD multi\|page=Radical-pair mechanism\|date=25 September 2026\|result='''keep'''}} -->
			<!-- End of AfD message, feel free to edit beyond this point -->
			[[File:Quantum Magnetoreception in Birds.svg\|thumb\|upright=2\|Diagram of the radical-pair mechanism between [[FAD]] and [[tryptophan]] as applied to [[avian magnetoreception]] in the [[cryptochrome]]<ref name="Hore Mouritsen 2022">{{cite journal \|last1=Hore \|first1=Peter J. \|author1-link=Peter Hore (chemist) \|last2=Mouritsen \|first2=Henrik \|date=April 2022 \|title=The Quantum Nature of Bird Migration \|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-migrating-birds-use-quantum-effects-to-navigate/ \|journal=[[Scientific American]] \|pages=24–29}}</ref>]]

	In [[quantum biology]], the '''radical-pair mechanism''' is a proposed [[Spin chemistry\|spin-chemistry]] explanation for [[magnetoreception]], the ability for an organism to sense weak magnetic fields. It has been significantly studied in the context of [[bird migration]].		In [[quantum biology]], the '''radical-pair mechanism''' is a proposed [[Spin chemistry\|spin-chemistry]] explanation for [[magnetoreception]], the ability for an organism to sense weak magnetic fields. It has been significantly studied in the context of [[bird migration]].