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chaimatics

Efim Liberman

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An outstanding scientist of the 20th century who pioneered studies of the molecular and quantum computing processes in living cells

Founded a new branch of science that brings together biology, physics and mathematics

  • 1949

    Graduated from the Moscow State University School of Physics

  • 1959

    1963

    Received his Ph.D. in physics and mathematics (1959) and Habilitation degree in biology (1963)

  • 1967

    2006

    Held research positions at the Institute of Biophysics, and the Institute for Information Transmission Problems at the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union

  • 1972

    Published “The Cell as a Molecular Computer (m.c.),” a seminal paper that introduced a new scientific approach to understanding the life phenomenon

  • 1975

    Received the USSR State Award for studying molecular generators and transformers of electric current

  • 1983

    Put forward a hypothesis on quantum computing in living systems

Made a number of experimental discoveries, including color coding in the retina, the participation mechanisms of Ca2+ ions in synaptic transmission, and the measurement of potential in the coupling membranes of mitochondria and chloroplasts

Special issue of BioSystems “Fundamental principles of biological computation: From molecular computing to biological complexity” commemorates the first publication of Efim Liberman on biological computation at its 50th anniversary.

1970s, Liberman at the wheel of his car

"It was enough for Liberman to understand one word out of ten in order to grasp the topic better than the author. This is a sign of a genius"

Vladimir Skulachev

1970s, Liberman with students at Pushchino Institute of Biophysics

"He made a stunning impression on fellow biophysicists. After talking to him, your first impulse was to begin learning anew and looking deeper! He sparked fire in us"

Mikhail Kara–Ivanov

1970s, Liberman (C), Skulachev (R), and Kara-Ivanov (L)

“Liberman operates with meanings and ideas rather than with formulae. While it is hard to come up with ideas that can be experimentally tested, Liberman generated them in droves!”

Anatoliy Zilberstein

1957

First to discover the effect of coding in the nervous system

1969

Developed a unique “penetrating-ion method,” measured the membrane potential of mitochondria and chloroplasts, and, eventually, proved that electricity is the basis of all energetics in the biosphere

1972

Gave a new definition to a living being as a molecular computer operating per a DNA code

1983

Put down an idea that quantum computing is utilized for finding solutions for complex intra-cell control problems, and initiated experimental testing of this hypothesis

Chaimatics

Discovery of links between the biology, physics and mathematics, and founding a new area of studies focused on computations in living systems are his life achievements. Efim Liberman gave the name of “Chaimatics” to this new area of science

I

DNA is the text of a code written for molecular computers of living cells. The notion of “Text” is intrinsically opposite to a random sequence of symbols, and it can exist only inside the system of language. In this case, it is a genetic language, which is isomorphic to a natural language

II

Computations conducted in a living cell are real physical actions, and free energy and time must be spent for completing them. As all living organisms are comprised of cells, this statement is applicable to any control processes implemented in the biosphere

III

Molecular computations are limited by the microscopic scale of a cell and inevitable impact of the computations on formulation of a problem begin solved. The Chaimatics grew from the recognition of the computation reality as the quantum mechanics grew from the recognition of the measurement reality.

IV

A cell creates а quantum computing tool for solving complex problems. This tool utilizes hypersound quanta, and uses the cell cytoskeleton as the computing environment. In such a computer, a price of elementary computation converges to the physical limit, which is Planck’s constant

Chaimatic's statements are simple, but they require a change in the traditional vision, rooted in scientific practice

Read a book

Chapter I

The journey of life in science