Re: [Phys-l] modern vs classical thermodynamics

[brian whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net>]

On 1/30/2011 12:08 PM, John Denker wrote:
> /snip/
> In the 21st century, there are going to be more jobs in biomedical
> engineering than in steam engineering.  For that, you want a theory
> that can handle the thermodynamics of single molecules.
/snip/

For some reason, this note triggered a memory of the celebrated 
geomagnetic sense [and related] experiments of Wolfgang & Roswitha  
Wiltschsko (ref1)

I recall the experiments with American Robins in a planetarium, where 
the avian auditorium had an ink pad floor, and a paper lined horizon  
bowl, up which the birds hopped when gripped by their migratory urge.
When the star picture was time shifted, the bird foot print tell tales 
were also shifted round the bowl of the horizon record.
So many experiments devised to untangle the complexities of the many 
sensory channels exploited by birds and other animals!

At any rate, a current line of investigation in the geomagnetic sense of 
the European Robin, concerns a photo coupled orienting sense. The 
Radical Pair mechanism is thought to involve a photon exciting two 
electrons on one molecule - with a transport path for one electron to a 
second molecule, their spins coupled through quantum entanglement. In 
the brief [100us] interval before relaxation, there can be a geomagnetic 
field interaction altering spin orientation, and consequent visual 
chemical outcomes.
 The experimental setup involved an alternating magnetic field as small 
as 15 nanoTesla which was demonstrated to disturb birds' migratory 
orientation.   (ref2)

Brian W

ref1)
<http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://web.uni-frankfurt.de/fb15/akpoev/&ei=BbdFTav3EsT58AaA5ujIAQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBwQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwolfgang%2B%2526%2Broswitha%2Bwiltschko%26hl%3Den%26prmd%3Divnso>
[tinyURL format]
*http://tinyurl.com/6hbpqgb*

ref2)
Biophysical Journal DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2008.11.072 referred to in
NewScientist Jan22-28 2011"This Week" p12.