Scientists Plan to Link the Human Brain with a Quantum Computer

A team of researchers is taking a significant step toward unraveling one of humanity’s most profound mysteries: the nature of consciousness.

Their ambitious goal is to create an interface between the human brain and a quantum computer to measure potential changes in consciousness resulting from this interaction. The study is published in the journal Entropy.

Consciousness defines what it means to be human, yet its mechanisms remain elusive. Scientists know that anesthetics can “turn off” consciousness, but how they achieve this is still unclear.

Two dominant theories attempt to explain consciousness: the Integrated Information Theory (IIT), which posits that consciousness arises from the integration of information, and the Global Workspace Theory (GWT), which suggests it emerges from the exchange of information across different parts of the brain.

In 1989, British mathematician and Nobel laureate Roger Penrose proposed an unconventional hypothesis linking consciousness to quantum entanglement. He argued that the human mind could solve problems that traditional computers cannot, hinting at underlying quantum processes.

For decades, his idea remained on the fringes of scientific inquiry—until evidence surfaced suggesting that microtubules in neurons might provide a stable environment for quantum entanglement.

Building on this foundation, a team of scientists led by Google’s Hartmut Neven has proposed an even more radical theory.

They suggest that consciousness may arise not from the collapse of a quantum superposition, as Penrose theorized, but at the moment of its formation. This opens the door to groundbreaking experiments that could potentially “extend” human consciousness by linking it to a quantum computer.

• 
  Dying Brain Shows Larger-Than-Life Activity: What Could It Mean?
• 
  Physicists Propose Test to See If Life's Existence Is by Design or Chance

“We aim to establish a physical connection between the human brain and a quantum computer, enabling coherent interactions and mediating entanglement. If our hypothesis is correct, this connection could lead to a richer experience of consciousness,” explains Neven.

The researchers hypothesize that brain states interacting with a quantum computer would generate an extended quantum superposition, perceived as an enriched conscious experience.

However, implementing such an experiment poses significant challenges. It would require invasive procedures, raising ethical and practical concerns about its feasibility in the near term.

Undeterred, the team is also exploring alternative approaches, such as studying the effects of inert gases like xenon on consciousness. This direction may offer a less risky and more productive path for advancing our understanding of the enigmatic phenomenon of consciousness.