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Exploring the intersection of natural sciences and information technology via entropy and randomness
Anne M Luescher1, Reinhard Heckel2, Robert N Grass3
1Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Nature Communications
|July 29, 2025
Summary
Physical randomness and entropy are crucial for information technology and cryptography. This study explores their underappreciated role in experimental science, highlighting interdisciplinary research opportunities.
Area of Science:
- Information theory
- Quantum physics
- Computer science
Background:
- Randomness is essential for modern information technology and cryptography.
- Natural science researchers often overlook the benefits of randomness, focusing on its role as noise.
- Entropy, a key concept in information theory, connects diverse scientific fields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-examine experimental science through the lens of information theory and entropy.
- To highlight the potential of physical sources of randomness in scientific research.
- To inspire new interdisciplinary research by showcasing synergies between randomness and entropy.
Main Methods:
- Information-theoretic analysis of experimental processes.
- Examination of physical unclonable functions (PUFs).
- Exploration of molecular information technology applications.
Main Results:
- Identified entropy as a unifying concept bridging various scientific disciplines.
- Demonstrated the utility of physical unclonable functions and molecular information technology.
- Highlighted interdisciplinary research synergies leveraging physical randomness.
Conclusions:
- Physical randomness and entropy offer significant, yet often overlooked, potential for scientific advancement.
- Interdisciplinary approaches combining information theory, PUFs, and molecular information technology can drive innovation.
- Encouraging a broader appreciation for randomness can foster new research directions across science.
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