Does Time Run Backward in Other Universes? May 22, 2008
The Puzzle of Entropy Physicists encapsulate the concept of time asymmetry in the celebrated second law of thermodynamics: entropy in a closed system never decreases. Roughly, entropy is a measure of the disorder of a system. (Scientific American)
Is it possible to create a true vacuum? May 12, 2008
Unfortunately, a law of thermodynamics tells you that there's no way to get all the way down to absolute zero. You might have guessed this already since it seems like something that might be hard to do. (Boston Globe)
Newest GREET Model Updates Environmental Impacts Of Specific Fuels And Automobiles May 11, 2008
Enhancements to current pathways include three methods for dealing with co-products for soybean-based biodiesel, compression energy efficiencies for natural and hydrogen gases are calculated with the first law of thermodynamics and a tube trailer delivery option for hydrogen gas to refueling stations. In addition to the fuel-cycle GREET module, the vehicle-cycle GREET module incorporates an additional platform, allowing researchers to model sport utility vehicles in addition to cars and light... (Science Daily)
IN BRIEF: Creationists fail in bid to offer 'science' degrees May 2, 2008
Since SOMETHING cannot come from NOTHING. SOMETHING must be eternal, but the 2nd law of Thermodynamics says it can't be matter, so a non-material SOMETHING exists ... The pseudoscientific use of the term "2nd law of Thermodynamics" is perhaps more alarming, as it reflects the mind-set of the creationist movement, which appropriates scientific terms willy-nilly for its own purposes. (Nature News Service)
Glad You Asked: Is there a Web site or phone number we can call to get the most current (daily) ramp/exit and section closures on the expressway system in and around Milwaukee? Apr 13, 2008
We refer you to the first law of thermodynamics. The conservation of energy principle states that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant, regardless of changes within the system. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
Doing the big things well is what matters most Mar 31, 2008
Rather than provide a distraction to New York's churning hopes for favorable playoff position, Avery appeared to be stoking them, but there is a certain law of thermodynamics in the second half of this hockey season that can't seem to be outdone, even by the teams who are so hot they're practically salacious. Any of the thoroughbred animals frothing for postseason post position might reach a temperature higher than Pittsburgh's at any given moment, but no one stays as feverishly excellent. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA -- Sports)
The science guy Mar 20, 2008
Bill Nye discusses critical earth issues. Issue date: 3/20/08 Section. (Daily Orange, NY)
Letters to the Editor -- 3/14/2008 Mar 15, 2008
" Yes, those brown-skinned people riding bikes were certainly law-breakers alright. Thank goodness for the Minutemen. NOT. Chris to Concerned_1 wrote on Mar 14, 2008 12:27 PM:Your comment is what is wrong with today's politics. You don't have an answer to Howard Crews letter so you go on and on about some nonsense about his tone. You go on and on about Crew's letter being vengeful, facts hazy and his point lost in the smoke and fire of spiteful rhetoric. This is typical of you conservatives. You... (North County Times)
Orderly Universe: Evidence of God? Mar 3, 2008
My canned answer to them about biological order talks a bit about evolution, but they often dismiss that source of order for religious reasons or because of a misunderstanding of the second law of thermodynamics. (See for my Who's Counting discussion of biological and economic order and complexity arising out of very simple programs. (ABC News)
50 arts secrets revealed Mar 2, 2008
One of my comedian friends has got a joke about thermodynamics and he got heckled with the law of thermodynamics. BM: It depends on the situation. (Guardian Unlimited)
Letters to the Editor (Jan. 30) Feb 2, 2008
It's sort of like inventors of perpetual motion gadgets, they violate the second law of thermodynamics and are automatically denied patents. Scientists in one field are rarely qualified to comment in depth in another field. (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)
Big brain theory: Have cosmologists lost theirs? Jan 17, 2008
Boltzmann ascribed this so-called arrow of time to the tendency of any collection of particles to spread out into the most random and useless configuration, in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics (sometimes paraphrased as "things get worse"), which says that entropy, which is a measure of disorder or wasted energy, can never decrease in a closed system like the universe. 1. (International Herald Tribune)
Why do those Christmas lights always knot up? Dec 20, 2007
This is a sort of derivative law of nature stemming from the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which broadly states that things naturally tend toward disorder over time. In the case of knots, said Belmonte, that means long things get tangled. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
18 comments Dec 12, 2007
Secondly, the premise of a global green house is in direct violation of the Second LAW of thermodynamics, which everyone with a brain can understand. (If you have a hot object next to a cold object the flow of heat will alwasy move from the Hotter object to the colder object and never in reverse unless you supply power as in a refrigerator) So when the GW ignoramouses tell you that the Upper levels of the atmosphere will 'reflect/re-emit' heat back to the hotter lower atmosphere they are LYING. (Human Events Online)
Post a comment Dec 3, 2007
The fuel efficiency question depends primarely on the law of thermodynamics, gear ratio , vehicle weight , fuel mixture and engine design. I cannot understand why with all the super-computers , no one can come up to some near acceptable solutions. (International Herald Tribune)
Thankful to Whom? Nov 21, 2007
And, they acknowledge that it is less than satisfying to thank the Law of Gravity or the Second Law of Thermodynamics for all they have made possible for us ... And, they acknowledge that it is less than satisfying to thank the Law of Gravity or the Second Law of Thermodynamics for all they have made possible for us. (Townhall.com)
Church row evolves over fossil boy Nov 18, 2007
The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics makes it impossible without starting with life. John, Des Moines, IA US. (Yahoo News -- Anthropology and Archaeology)
Creationists are in denial of facts backed by science Nov 13, 2007
- Molecules-to-man evolutionary theory violates the second law of thermodynamics by positing spontaneous increases in order through random interactions of matter. (). (The Daily Lobo, NM)
Atheist's daughter fights moment-of-silence law Oct 30, 2007
Science wrote on Oct 29, 2007 5:13 AM:" The LAW of Biogenesis... The 2nd LAW of thermodynamics. Oh, they're LAWS, I get it. You really don't know what you're talking about. Nothing in evolution violates either of these "laws". For example, the 2nd law applies to closed systems that can't receive any inputs from outside the system. Earth is not a closed system. Please, try and educate yourself. As to the topic of the article, the guy suing the school district sounds like a publicity hound rather... (The Pantagraph newspaper)
George Monbiot Oct 23, 2007
The little-known ninth law of thermodynamics states that the more money a group receives from the taxpayer, the more it demands and the more it complains. " Thus wrote Matt Ridley in 1994. He was discussing farm subsidies, but the same law applies to his chairmanship of Northern Rock. Before he resigned on Friday, the bank had borrowed 16bn from the government and had refused to rule out asking for more. Ridley and the other bosses blamed everyone but themselves for this disaster.I used to read... (Guardian Unlimited)
Helping beggars and buskers Oct 18, 2007
Genetic manipulation can lead to unaccounted for changes due to the second law of thermodynamics, or entropy. Genetic manipulation or combining different plants or animals to create a new patentable seed result in an unstable entropatic state. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Editorial)
TODAY’S POP CULTURE PROMOTES TOMORROW’S ECONOMY Sep 21, 2007
FMA refers to Newton s Second Law of Thermodynamics, expressed as F=ma, which stands for force equals mass times acceleration. Mixed in with the laughs were explanations of the meaning of Newton s laws and examples of their application. (Dundalk Eagle, MD)
Cool drinks and the inevitable arrow of time Aug 22, 2007
The principle of conservation of energy is known as the First Law of Thermodynamics ... - would you be more surprised to learn that the First Law of Thermodynamics does not imply that this is impossible ... This leads us to the Second Law of Thermodynamics The entropy of an isolated system not in equilibrium will tend to increase over time, approaching a maximum value at equilibrium. (FirstScience.com)
Letter to the editor: Time machine model hyped? Aug 9, 2007
All this argument is aside from the purely physical argument that an event not "moving" forward in time would violate energy conservation and the Second Law of Thermodynamics. John Michael Williams Senior Adjunct Faculty Silicon Valley Technical Institute. (EETimes)
Smoking, my lost love Aug 7, 2007
you will only end up smoking again because reasons change; because patches just keep you on the back-burner until you can cope with the guilt of lighting another cigarette; because will power is nothing but hot air (2nd law of thermodynamics will bring you right back to the ashtray). If you want to quit, quit. (BBC News -- UK)
Researchers: Global Warming at Odds With Science Aug 7, 2007
The report is based on hard facts, written by scientists for scientists: "The atmospheric greenhouse effect, an idea that authors trace back to the traditional works of Fourier 1824, Tyndall 1861, and Arrhenius 1896, and is still supported in global climatology, essentially describes a fictitious mechanism in which a planetary atmosphere acts as a heat pump driven by an environment that is radiatively interacting with, but radiatively equilibrated to, the atmospheric system. "According to the... (Newsmax)
Whatever your style, upkeep still necessary Aug 3, 2007
Otherwise, according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, entropy sets in; without energy input, orderly systems tend to fall apart. CHAOTIC OR NEAT. (The Clarion-Ledger)
Nuclear waste is hardly a worry with climate threat Jul 26, 2007
A loose interpretation of the second law of thermodynamics is that "there is no such thing as a free lunch". And so it is with electrical energy production. (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
• Letters to the editor, July 23, 2007 Jul 23, 2007
If the law of thermodynamics states that the universe is in constant decay, how can order come from disorder on it's own with no godly intervention. How does a cosmic egg of dust produce thousands of differentiated life forms. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
Perpetual motion goes into reverse Jul 7, 2007
You might remember an Irish company called Steorn: in August 2006 it took out a full page advert in the Economist to announce that it had discovered a source of free energy, a perpetual motion machine no less, in triumphant defiance of that stuffy first law of thermodynamics. Almost every newspaper gave it lavish coverage in return for this modest expenditure. (Guardian Unlimited)
Powered By Blarney? Jul 7, 2007
He points to one of the most time-tested principles in science: the first law of thermodynamics. It postulates that you can t get more energy out of a system than you put into it. (Forbes -- Technology)
Free Power from Perpetual Motion Jul 5, 2007
The very notion of 'free energy' goes against the known laws of Physics in particular the law of the 'conservation of energy' or the 'first law of thermodynamics' which broadly state that 'energy can not be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form of energy to another. An example of this law is the conversion of electrical energy to heat energy. (Geekzone)
'Arcadia' revival combines wit, warmth Jul 4, 2007
The second law of thermodynamics tells us that life's passions will cool and connections fray; still, in the end, we can all dance a waltz ... At the age of 16, Thomasina stumbles upon the second law of thermodynamics in 1811, more than 150 years before it can be scientifically proved. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Politics must aid science in reaching energy goals Jul 2, 2007
" Hydrogen is just an energy storaage, when the energy is converted from some outside source. With solar and wind energy, the problem is in the First Law of Thermodynamics, which restricts the amount of energy that can be produced in a given amount of real estate. Therefore, these sources require a lot of real estate, and money, for a small amount of energy return. McNerney's wind energy campaign platform was a nonscientific "pipe dream. " ". (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Evolution column draws response May 22, 2007
Another is the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that there is a general tendency for all matter to move towards greater disorganization. Evolutionary forces would have to move directly opposite this law and this has never been observed in any scientific setting. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
What would you say to Richard Dawkins? May 21, 2007
The First Law of Thermodynamics, sometimes known as the law of conservation of energy, states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another. Spiritual Immortality - the consciousness can never be destroyed it only changes. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Creating a canon for science May 14, 2007
scientists view the second law of thermodynamics as a firearm of sorts, spraying a scattershot of slugs through the house, knocking pictures from the walls, blowing out the flat-screen television, and making chintzmeat of the furniture. " About half the scientists she interviewed thought the sciences were a harder study than the humanities. And there is, in conversation, usually the moment when the word "lazy" comes up, as in sometimes people are just too lazy to make the effort to study... (Toronto Star)
What is Osmosis? May 9, 2007
This is associated with the concept of entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. The particles can move to a preferred distribution and the total system loses a little bit of energy in the process. (Suite101.com)
Moderating Global Warming through Power Generation May 1, 2007
There is a law of thermodynamics that states that Q = U + W (Energy in = Energy out + Work) ... There is a law of thermodynamics that states that Q = U + W (Energy in = Energy out + Work). (Energy Pulse, CO)
I didn't forget. The shark ate my memories. Apr 9, 2007
Hall's wonderfully imagined theory of the thought world goes something like this: Language and thought are susceptible to the first law of thermodynamics. In that sense, language created via thoughts or utterance or in books or in cyberspace does not cease to exist after being expressed, it continues on as different forms of the same thing. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Carbon Risk and Negawatts - Using Energy Efficiency Programs to Reduce Your Carbon Exposure Mar 29, 2007
Improving energy efficiency is the process of attempting to defy the second law of thermodynamics. Improvement programs can rapidly give up their gains to recoverable and non-recoverable performance degradation as well as system neglect. (Energy Pulse, CO)
Thermodynamics Mar 15, 2007
Mike Gallagher Michael Medved. On the blog now: Updated at 9:20 AM. (Townhall.com)
Universe bounces back from the brink Feb 24, 2007
The theory claims to reconcile the notion of a cyclic universe, which expands and contracts for eternity, with the second law of thermodynamics, which seems to imply that the current expansion cannot reverse ... But a 'bouncing' universe seems to conflict with one of the most fundamental physical principles, the second law of thermodynamics. (Nature News Service)
The Virtue of Biting Your Tongue Feb 19, 2007
Hey, by the way, that was a good lecture on the second law of thermodynamics this afternoon. Now I understand why my bedroom gets the way it does sometimes. (Boston Globe)
Drive It Forever Feb 11, 2007
It violates the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Yes, a generator attached to a fan will generate electricity, but not enough to overcome the extra aerodynamic drag of the fan, which will result in a net loss of energy. (Boston Globe)
Boost for tiny nano engine Feb 3, 2007
Although best known for his work on electromagnetism, he also dreamed up the idea of Maxwell's Demon in which an imp seems to be able to sort gas molecules into separate chambers in defiance of the second law of thermodynamics. In previous work Prof Leigh's group have used a manufactured nanomachine to move a water droplet uphill. (BBC News -- Science)
Another source for alternative power Feb 3, 2007
Daniel wrote on February 02, 2007 11:57 AM:"I would expect McNerney to understand the first law of thermodynamics, which places a limit on the amount of energy that can be produced by a solar array or a windmill. Since these are not perpetual motion machines, there is a minimum size requirement which is very very big, and expensive, but not as much as the NAFTA Superhighway.". Daniel wrote on February 02, 2007 11:22 AM:"Has enyone ever thought about having a nuclear power half-way between Galt,... (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Demon ratchets up nanotech revolution Feb 1, 2007
He suggested a way to apparently violate the second law of thermodynamics, which insists that heat cannot flow spontaneously from a cold material to a hotter material, and that any system will naturally tend towards greater disorder. Maxwell proposed that a cunning little demon might be able to make heat flow the 'wrong' way by strategically opening and closing a gate between two boxes full of gas, so that one filled up hot, fast-moving molecules, and the other cold, slow molecules. (Chemistry World)
Endless Universe Made Possible By New Model Feb 1, 2007
The idea was abandoned because the oscillations could not be reconciled with the rules of physics, including the second law of thermodynamics, Frampton said. The second law says entropy (a measure of disorder) can't be destroyed. (Science Daily)
A demon of a device Feb 1, 2007
David Leigh at Edinburgh University has managed to make a molecular machine inspired by "Maxwell's demon" a thought experiment that defies the second law of thermodynamics ... According to the second law of thermodynamics that a system tends towards equilibrium this shouldn't happen. (Nature News Service)
Energy conference explores future fuel choices Jan 31, 2007
Consultant Van Jamison, long active in clean air and renewable energy policy formulation, said the universe has no shortage of energy since the first law of thermodynamics says energy can t be created or destroyed but that people just need to adjust the way they think about energy. The big task we ve got before us is not adapting to energy shortages, but how to make energy choices, he said. (Helena Independent Record)
The Law of Diminishing Returns in Roll-Cooling Strategies Jan 12, 2007
But more important, the First Law of Thermodynamics explains why such an approach is futile: Heat will always move from the warmer to the cooler body, and if and when the backup roll picks up heat from the work roll and becomes warmer, then the heat will flow back into the work roll. Unless the backup rolls are the driven rolls where heat is generated by additional friction due to slippage between the rolls, the first point of address of a well-designed cooling system is to cool the work roll. (33Metalproducing)
