How Real is Anything?

Humans have around 6 million olfactory receptors, while dogs have over 300 million, making their perception of smell drastically different. Some animals can detect hormonal changes, emotions, and even diseases through scent alone, suggesting that human olfactory perception is limited but still highly sensitive.

A controversial but compelling theory in quantum biology suggests that smell is not just based on molecular shape but may involve quantum tunneling where electrons “jump” between molecules, allowing our noses to detect different odors in ways that traditional biology cannot fully explain.

Some scientists propose that consciousness itself may have a quantum component, interacting with reality in ways we do not yet understand. Quantum brain theory suggests that microtubules in brain cells might use quantum coherence to process information, which could explain phenomena like intuition, sudden insights, and non-local awareness.

Some researchers believe quantum entanglement may play a role in neural processing, linking distant neurons instantaneously. This might explain why certain intuitive experiences, déjà vu, or “gut feelings” occur faster than traditional neural signaling allows.

The more we understand perception, the more it seems that our brain constructs an internal simulation rather than directly experiencing the external world. 

Our memories, expectations, and biases shape what we “see” and “hear.” 

Sensory information is heavily filtered, we only receive what the brain thinks is important. 

Some physicists and neuroscientists suggest that our perception of reality is closer to a highly evolved user interface rather than an objective representation of the universe.