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THE idea that quantum phenomena in the brain can explain consciousness has persisted for decades on the fringes of mainstream research. There is something appealing about an attempt to explain consciousness with something similarly mysterious, which might tell us why this proposal has also enjoyed more than its fair share of press attention over the years.

There are plenty of good reasons to be sceptical, of course, not least the absence of any solid expehrimental evidence. But that isn鈥檛 to say that hypotheses about quantum consciousness have no value.

As we explore in our feature 鈥淭he intriguing experiments forcing a rethink on quantum consciousness鈥�, researchers have started to put one of the most popular of these, known as orchestrated objective reduction (Orch OR), to the test in experiments that make use of anaesthetics to dial consciousness up and down. The results, hinting at quantum effects in brain cells, are intriguing if resoundingly inconclusive. Now, they are about to probe the idea further in clusters of lab-grown neurons called brain organoids, which offer a more realistic testing ground.

All of which is sufficient to warrant a second look at Orch OR, at least. Even if this flurry of results fizzles out and the idea as a whole turns out to be wrong, it is already showing its value. For example, researchers are now asking what kinds of quantum information processing could have evolved in living systems. On a more practical level, the latest findings may have implications for how doctors administer anaesthetics.

Above all, we should remember that this is still a fledgling field. One of the most popular mainstream explanations for consciousness, known as integrated information theory, was recently . That is unfair because the same could be levelled at most ideas to explain this phenomenon. When it comes to the origins of consciousness, we shouldn鈥檛 expect straightforward solutions. Which is why we should give ambitious ideas like Orch OR a fair chance, even if they may ultimately fall away.