200 years of the Second Law: the unbroken rule of heat and disorder

An abstract representation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Created by DALL-E, an AI model by OpenA. Right: In 1824, Sadi Carnot introduced the Second Law of Thermodynamics through his studies of heat engines. Courtesy of Science History Institute

In the world of physics, unlike in everyday life, laws are not meant to be broken. These natural laws are the backbone of our understanding of the universe. Among them, the Second Law of Thermodynamics stands out as both crucial and mysterious, celebrating its 200th anniversary this year.The Second Law, in simple terms, tells us...