71-terahertz signal reportedly detected inside mitochondria

Posts citing the 2026 bioRxiv preprint “A quantum state of mitochondria in the living cell” describe a 71-terahertz signal in mitochondria, structures that produce much of cells’ energy. The accounts say the signal appeared in living cells and tissues but vanished when mitochondrial structures were disrupted. They describe a proposed explanation: folded inner membranes may support a polariton, a quantum state formed through light–matter coupling. The posts also report about a 10% higher production of ATP—the molecule cells use for energy—when cultured human cells were exposed to specific infrared frequencies under experimental conditions. The work was described as awaiting peer review; the proposed quantum explanation remains uncertain.