Insider Brief
Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Weizmann Institute of Science found that the direction of a magnetic field can influence how chiral biological molecules and their isotopes behave, potentially offering new clues about the origins of life and molecular handedness.
The study showed that heavier and lighter isotopes of the amino acid methionine behaved differently when passed through magnetized surfaces, with the effects changing depending on the orientation of the magnetic field.
The findings suggest that quantum properties such as electron and nuclear spin may influence isotope chemistry, with possible applications in isotope separation, materials science, analytical chemistry, and the emerging field of quantum biology.
PRESS RELEASE — In a new discovery researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Weizmann Institute of Science have found that something the direction of a magnetic field can influence how molecules of life behave at the most fundamental level and how early chemical processes linked to life may have unfolded
