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Related Concept Videos

Entropy within the Cell01:22

Entropy within the Cell

A living cell's primary tasks of obtaining, transforming, and using energy to do work may seem simple. However, the second law of thermodynamics explains why these tasks are harder than they appear. None of the energy transfers in the universe are completely efficient. In every energy transfer, some amount of energy is lost in a form that is unusable. In most cases, this form is heat energy. Thermodynamically, heat energy is defined as the energy transferred from one system to another that is...
Second Law of Thermodynamics00:53

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The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy, or the amount of disorder in a system, increases each time energy is transferred or transformed. Each energy transfer results in a certain amount of energy that is lost—usually in the form of heat—that increases the disorder of the surroundings. This can also be demonstrated in a classic food web. Herbivores harvest chemical energy from plants and release heat and carbon dioxide into the environment. Carnivores harvest the chemical energy...
Second Law of Thermodynamics02:49

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In the quest to identify a property that may reliably predict the spontaneity of a process, a promising candidate has been identified: entropy. Processes that involve an increase in entropy of the system (ΔS > 0) are very often spontaneous; however, examples to the contrary are plentiful. By expanding consideration of entropy changes to include the surroundings, a significant conclusion regarding the relation between this property and spontaneity may be reached. In thermodynamic models, the...
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:20

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics can be stated quantitatively using the concept of entropy. Entropy is the measure of disorder of the system.
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Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:26

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Consider an isolated system in which a hot object is placed in contact with a cold one. This is an irreversible process that eventually leads both objects to reach the same equilibrium temperature. It is crucial to note that the constituents of any substance exhibit increased disorder at higher temperatures. As a cold substance absorbs heat, its constituents become more disordered. The energy transfer from a hotter object to a cooler one increases the system's disorder or randomness. This...
Entropy01:18

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The first law of thermodynamics is quantitatively formulated via an equation relating the internal energy of a system, the heat exchanged by it, and the work done on it. A quantitative formulation of the second law of thermodynamics leads to defining a state function, the entropy.
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Consider an infinitesimal step in the expansion, which...

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Maximum Entropy Production Principle of Thermodynamics for the Birth and Evolution of Life.

Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
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External Entropy Production and Human Evolution Toward Multi-Body Life.

Yasuji Sawada1,2, Kenji Toma1,2,3

  • 1Division for Interdisciplinary Advanced Research and Education, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.

Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Ancient humans developed external entropy production through tool use and fire control, leading to rapid brain growth and cooperation. This thermodynamic evolution influences modern challenges like global warming.

Keywords:
awarenessevolution toward multi-body lifeexternal entropy productionmaximum entropy production principlenon-equilibrium thermodynamics

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Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Archaeology

Background:

  • Life's internal entropy production dissipates energy within organisms.
  • Ancient humans introduced external entropy production via tool use and fire control.
  • Rapid brain size increase in humans correlates with tool and fire use ~2.5 million years ago.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the mechanism of external entropy production in human evolution.
  • Analyze the relationship between brain growth, awareness, and cooperation.
  • Explore the thermodynamic basis of human evolution and its implications.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical investigation of external entropy production mechanisms.
  • Analysis of coupled equations for brain growth and interacting human group size.
  • Examination of archaeological data on human evolution and tool/fire use.

Main Results:

  • External entropy production is linked to tool use, fire control, and cooperation.
  • Brain size growth is associated with increased awareness and group interaction.
  • External entropy production per human is estimated to increase over millions of years.

Conclusions:

  • Human evolution involves both internal and external entropy production.
  • Understanding external entropy production is key to addressing psychological issues and global warming.
  • Thermodynamic evolution theory offers insights into technological development and environmental challenges.