Unlocking nature’s secret behind energy and patterns
Most of us know that over time, things change, water flows, rocks fall, living creatures grow, and weather patterns shift. Scientists have long tried to explain these changes with the laws of thermodynamics—especially something called the ‘second law,’ which talks about how useful energy becomes less available (or how processes are irreversible). But there is more to the story of how nature changes (or ‘evolves’) than just energy flowing downhill.
This article introduces two important ideas, irreversibility and evolution:
Irreversibility, guided by the second law of thermodynamics (energy flows happen in one direction, and you can’t fully undo them).
Evolution of shape and design, guided by the constructal law (natural systems change their form over time in ways that make it easier for them to move, flow, and persist).
They are distinct, self-standing, not the same thing.