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, the energy-producing structures in cells. The accounts say the signal appeared in living cells and tissues but disappeared when the structures were dried or disrupted.

The posts describe the researchers’ proposed explanation: folded inner mitochondrial membranes may support a polariton, a quantum state formed through light–matter coupling. They also report about a 10% increase in production of ATP—the molecule cells use for energy—when cultured human cells were exposed to specific infrared frequencies. The work was described as awaiting peer review; the quantum explanation remains a hypothesis.