Skip to main content

Up Next

How Close To The Sun Can Humanity Get?

How Close To The Sun Can Humanity Get?

Season 4 Episode 34
8:51
How Will the Universe End?

How Will the Universe End?

Season 4 Episode 36
12:37
Is There Life on Mars?

Is There Life on Mars?

Season 4 Episode 37
13:41
The Black Hole Entropy Enigma

The Black Hole Entropy Enigma

Season 4 Episode 38
11:41
How to Detect Extra Dimensions

How to Detect Extra Dimensions

Season 4 Episode 41
11:46
Computing a Universe Simulation

Computing a Universe Simulation

Season 4 Episode 42
12:04
What are the Strings in String Theory?

What are the Strings in String Theory?

Season 4 Episode 43
13:20
Will We Ever Find Alien Life?

Will We Ever Find Alien Life?

Season 4 Episode 44
12:44
Supersymmetric Particle Found?

Supersymmetric Particle Found?

Season 4 Episode 45
12:07
Back to Show
PBS Space Time

Reversing Entropy with Maxwell's Demon

Season 4 Episode 33

The second law of thermodynamics – the law that entropy must, on average, increase – has been interpreted as the inevitability of the decay of structure. This is … misleading. Structure can develop in one region even as the entropy of the universe rises. Ultimately, entropy is a measure of the availability of free energy – of energy that isn’t hopelessly mixed in thermal equilibrium.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Season
Why Did Quantum Entanglement Win the Nobel Prize in Physics?
14:40
Quantum Entanglement reveals that the universe is stranger than we thought.
The Equation That Explains (Nearly) Everything!
15:29
We explain how The Standard Model of particle physics works!
The Real Possibility of Mapping Alien Planets!
14:59
This is the craziest proposal for an astrophysics mission that has a chance at happening.
Why Is 1/137 One of the Greatest Unsolved Problems
14:37
In physics, the Fine Structure Constant is one the strangest numbers.
Science of the James Webb Telescope Explained!
12:00
We explore all the cool facts of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Could the Higgs Boson Lead Us to Dark Matter?
13:42
In fact, the first tantalizing evidence is already in and we take a look.
What Makes The Strong Force Strong?
15:34
We dive into the weird world of quantum chromodynamics and the strong force.
What If Dark Energy is a New Quantum Field?
15:22
Let's explore Quintessence and find out what dark energy really is.
What Happens Inside a Proton?
15:15
What’s actually going on inside protons and neutrons?
How Many States Of Matter Are There?
13:14
Let’s see if we can figure it out states of matter together.
What If We Live in a Superdeterministic Universe?
15:00
Today we’re going to try to save reality - or at least realism.
Could We Decode Alien Physics?
14:25
How hard can it really be to decode alien physics and engineering?
Active loading indicator