Dr Luca Turin is a biophysicist, writer, and perfume connoisseur whose work on fragrances seems to suggest that we don’t smell molecules, per se - we smell the complex vibrations of an atomic structure. Turin came to be convinced of this model for olfaction at the expense of the standard model of receptors binding smell molecules just on the basis of their shape due to a prediction he made about the smell of sulfur. If the pungent odor of rotten eggs and brimstone was due to the vibrational frequency of the sulfur atom attached to the molecule, then any other atom with a similar vibrational frequency, no matter its shape, should also smell of sulfur. He found a compatible molecule in an unexpected place, and the rest fell into place. We talk about his nascent passion for perfumes, why people are so reluctant to smell things, and the overlap between smell, resonance, and consciousness.
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(00:05:12) The Concept of Fragrance
(00:11:39) Evolution and Decline of Vibrational Theory in Smell Science
(00:23:47) Social Dynamics in Scientific Progress
(00:26:30) Impact of Public Perception on Scientific Discourse
(00:29:23) Musical Analogies in Smell Perception
(00:31:00) Harmonic Analogies in Molecular Structures
(00:33:17) Exploring Dissonance in Perfumery and Music
(00:39:06) Longevity of Perfumes and Environmental Factors
(00:46:44) Theory development on molecular vibration and smell perception
(00:48:23) Discovery of Boron hydrides and their olfactory similarities to sulfur
(00:51:36) Public reception and impact of the vibrational theory of smell
(01:11:20) Electrical properties of molecules in drug design
(01:13:09) Radical formation and drug interaction with receptors
(01:18:05) Electrical vs. shape-based theories in GPCR activation
(01:24:21) Electron transfer in cellular metabolism
(01:31:11) ATP synthesis and electrostatic gradients in mitochondria
(01:34:36) Electrons' Spin Behavior in Biology
(01:37:05) Revolution in General Anesthesia
(01:42:05) Mechanism of Anesthesia and Brain Function
(01:49:23) Quantum Effects in Brain Function
(01:57:40) Brain Stimulation and Consciousness
(01:58:52) Spin and Conductivity
(02:05:02) Radio Frequency Emission from Brain Activity
(02:09:54) Mitochondrial Activity and Brain Function
(02:18:09) Quantum Aspects in Brain Function
(02:21:08) The Intersection of Quantum Mechanics and Consciousness
(02:25:01) Historical and Technological Influences on Consciousness Studies
(02:30:13) Quantum Biology: Origins and Evolution
(02:34:26) The Central Role of Chemistry in Quantum Biology
(02:37:11) Transactional Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
(02:44:15) Philosophical indifference to facts
(02:45:22) Science as myth-making
(02:46:15) Finding joy in science
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PODCAST INFO: Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities.
MUSIC:
-Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671
The DemystifySci Podcast