Thermodynamics: Because Political Nonsense Is Exhausting

Between proposals to make Greenland the 51st state of the United States, take over the Panama Canal, and rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, the word “thermodynamics” came to mind. Not because I’m some genius scientist—I’m certainly not—but because I’d rather pull out my old college Physics and Physical Chemistry textbooks and read about the laws of thermodynamics than listen to or read anything about this nonsense. With all the pressing issues we face in the U.S., it will be quite entertaining to watch the upcoming administration prioritize trivial matters over real challenges. But let me stop there and get back to thermodynamics.

When was the last time you heard a news reporter mention or write about thermodynamics? For me, it was December 7, 2024. Oh, and prior to that, it was September 7th and August 24th. I’ll share a brief summary of the news articles that mentioned thermodynamics, but first, let’s quickly review the four laws of thermodynamics—just for fun.

The Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics: If A is in thermal equilibrium with B, and B is in thermal equilibrium with C, then C is also in thermal equilibrium with A.1

The First Law of Thermodynamics: The internal energy of an isolated system is constant.2

The Second Law of Thermodynamics: No process is possible in which the sole result is the absorption of heat from a reservoir and its complete conversion into work.3

The Third Law of Thermodynamics: If the entropy (a measure of disorder or randomness in a system) of every element in its most stable state at T=0 is taken as zero, then every substance has a positive entropy, which at T=0 may become zero for perfect crystalline substances, including compounds.4

Here are the three news articles that mentioned thermodynamics:

August 24, 2024
An article in The Economist about Lucy Letby’s trial in the UK highlighted flaws in Britain’s education system. It referenced a 1959 lecture, “The Two Cultures,” in which scientist and author C.P. Snow warned about society splitting into two groups: those who understand science and those who don’t. Snow noted that while literary intellectuals might smirk at scientists’ illiteracy, many couldn’t describe the Second Law of Thermodynamics—the scientific equivalent of asking, “Have you read a work of Shakespeare?” This divide became relevant in Letby’s case, as lawyers struggled to grasp the statistical and scientific evidence about whether she was on duty when a number of babies died. You can read more about her case here. 

September 7, 2024
An article in The Economist on climate change explained how air conditioners (ACs) cool people but heat the planet. It noted that “the Second Law of Thermodynamics decrees that heat cannot move spontaneously from a colder object to a hotter one. The implication: all machines generate inefficient waste heat, and deliberately cooling a room requires power. The electricity needed for air conditioning is responsible for more carbon-dioxide emissions than the entire aviation industry.” Engineers are now working on solutions to make ACs more energy-efficient.

December 7, 2024
An article in The Economist about the diet of early Americans discussed the Clovis people, who lived in North America around 13,000 years ago. Their diet, primarily deer, bison, and mammoths, was studied through isotopic analysis of carbon and nitrogen extracted from bone collagen. The article noted, “These elements each have two stable isotopes, the ratios of which in living tissue vary between types of organisms, partly due to reasons buried deep in the laws of thermodynamics and partly (in animals) as a result of the ratios found in their diet.”

You might be wondering why I’m writing a blog post about thermodynamics. My hope is that it distracted you from the absurd political satire we’re currently witnessing and reminded you that there’s more to the news than pundits debating wild policy proposals.

Also, I hope it made you chuckle.

Perhaps the new administration’s entropy has spiraled out of control, and a lesson from thermodynamics might help them restore order and refocus on meaningful governance.

Here is a photo of one of the articles with my notes and highlights. I get too serious sometimes.

  1. Atkins, P.W. Physical Chemistry. (P. 25). New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1994 ↩︎
  2. Atkins p. 60 ↩︎
  3. Atkins p. 120 ↩︎
  4. Atkins p. 140 ↩︎

72 thoughts on “Thermodynamics: Because Political Nonsense Is Exhausting”

  2. Well, I’ve gone back to study Thermodynamics now, Edward. And I found it must more enlightening, as you’ve said, that the news headlines. Didn’t Einstein figure out that all these theories go to heck if you pass the speed of light? : )

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  3. To me, Edward, the most important paragraph in your post is, “An article in The Economist on climate change explained how air conditioners (ACs) cool people but heat the planet. It noted that “the Second Law of Thermodynamics decrees that heat cannot move spontaneously from a colder object to a hotter one. The implication: all machines generate inefficient waste heat, and deliberately cooling a room requires power. The electricity needed for air conditioning is responsible for more carbon-dioxide emissions than the entire aviation industry.” Engineers are now working on solutions to make ACs more energy-efficient.”

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    1. Incredible, right? I was thinking about all those Amazon warehouses running their ACs 24/7, along with other large buildings around the world, and it all made sense. I’m glad they are developing technology to reduce energy consumption and pollution.

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  4. I would rather read about thermodynamics than “absurd political” happenings, too. 👍🏻 Regarding the September 7, 2024, article, I’ve long wondered how people survived living in the desert prior to air conditioning but only recently began considering the implications of A/Cs impact on the environment. Interesting to learn that the introduction of comfortable living is more damaging than the entire aviation industry. Nice highlighting and noting. 😃

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    1. Thank you, Michele, for the support. We can share notes about what we learned afterward. 😆 Regarding the A/Cs, I wonder about that too. During my time in the Middle East, I learned that there’s a purpose behind the way men and women dress in the desert. I remember feeling hotter just seeing all the clothing they wore, but in reality, they were more comfortable than I was. The layers helped with air circulation and cooling the body.

      It’s amazing that we can’t live without A/C when temperatures are in the high 80s to mid-90s, yet people in the desert seem comfortable in the 100s. After reading the article, it made sense, especially when I thought about those massive Amazon and computer data centers running A/Cs 24/7.

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      1. Massive data centers. Ugh! A scorching desert in their own right! Things can get pretty prickly around here w/out AC when temps climb beyond 100. Actually, quite dangerous for some people, and yet people keep moving to the Valley of the Sun. Suppose it beats shoveling snow. ❄️ Cheers to sharing notes! 😆👍🏻Thank you for the thoughtful reply and a lovely Friday to you, Edward.

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  5. First – I love how you take notes. Looks familiar! And second? Thank you for the best one-line diversion I’ve read all week: “I’d rather pull out my old college Physics and Physical Chemistry textbooks and read about the laws of thermodynamics than listen to or read anything about this nonsense.” Yes…and yes! Right up there with watching paint peel…clean the grout? 😉😉😉

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    1. 😂 “Watching paint peel… clean the grout,”good ones, Vicki. I’d rather do those than watch these discussions on the news. I’m so glad I stopped watching the news last year. I see or read the headlines, but I refuse to waste my time reading or watching the rest of the content. The headlines alone are enough to give me a headache—it’s just too embarrassing.

      I love taking notes, and you’d laugh if you saw me debating with the pages of The Economist. If Walls Could Talk.

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  6. Thanks for trying to distract us Edward, but there is too much craziness for me to ignore. I wonder how we can move beyond the growing polarization and authoritarian leaders around the world? It seems like too much momentum to overcome. Thermodynamics?

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    1. Brad, that’s a great question—perfect for a discussion over coffee or perhaps while enjoying a cold beer. Solving that problem requires addressing many components, but in the short term, we need to move away from “one-issue” politics.

      As an independent voter, I feel I can say this. For example, conservatives, particularly religious individuals, need to stop focusing solely on abortion rights. It’s well-documented that the Moral Majority, led by Jerry Falwell Sr., sought a strategy to mobilize American conservative Christians, with the pro-life movement becoming their trump card. Before that, they tried promoting traditional family values and Christian morals, but these efforts weren’t gaining traction until abortion was brought into the mix. Right-wing religious organizations are spending millions on propaganda—and they’re winning. Many right-wing Christians vote Republican solely for this “one issue,” ignoring everything else.

      On the other side, liberals have their own “one-issue” focus. For instance, take the student loan forgiveness program. Many people voted for or against a candidate based solely on that single issue, without considering a broader, more holistic view of other policies. These are just examples, but they highlight a concerning trend.

      As Americans, we cannot continue to vote this way. In my opinion, this “one-issue” mindset was a major factor in the 2024 election results. Right-wing propaganda and misinformation campaigns are currently winning the battle, while the left’s strategy is failing and, in some cases, driving more people to the right.

      We need to find our way back to the center, educate ourselves on both national and international issues, and vote based on an understanding of policies. Also, electing serious, competent leaders with the backbone to withstand political pressure is crucial for running our government effectively.

      A long answer, I know—but it’s definitely a great topic for discussion over coffee. As for your “Thermodynamics?” comment, my nerdy side tends to come out from time to time. 😆

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      1. Yes, it’s a complicated issue and worthy of longer discussion with you and open minded people. You made a good point about wanting rational and educated voters. Many of us vote from emotional & selfish motives. And on a deeper level, I believe the whole system is corrupted by big money, corporations, and the elite. Unless, we can get money out of politics, I don’t see how we have fair representation for the average person, competent leaders, educated voters, or fair elections. I wish I knew how to remove the big money.

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        1. Yes, the money issue is significant. I think the 2024 presidential campaign reached a billion dollars, which is crazy. That one is hard to change because every single politician in Washington is driven, in one way or another, by money and fame. Even the Supreme Court falls into that category. I think legislation needs to be passed to address campaign finance, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

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  7. Genius strategy, Edward 🙂 Nothing like a little bit of natural laws to dispel human entropy. The human nonsense taken to the limits as we see it abundantly these days. It almost seems like a dark strategy to “distract” people from what truly matters. Instead of engaging in benevolent change for their people—the individuals they should be serving and caring for—it seems the political leaders seem more interested in playing games. Well, at least many of us can see it clearly, which means that the “show” has its days counted. It’s just a question of time… Many more start to see it too. Thank you for this serious and scientific post! I appreciate reading it. Lots of light and blessings to you, my friend*

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    1. Thank you so much, Susana. I’m glad that you appreciated the scientific aspect of my post. Sadly, I witnessed this many times throughout my career. Some leaders thrive on chaos and distractions to appear as heroes when they solve—or attempt to solve—the very problems they created. As you said, these types of political issues are cyclical and will come to an end at some point. I’m hoping, at least in the U.S., this happens after two election cycles—maybe even one. Again, thank you for your thoughtful comments, and blessings to you as well, my friend.

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  8. Lol.. yes I did chuckle..
    Having been distracted sufficiently, I would still have to say that if the future president has decided to openly tout American expansionism ideology, devoid of the subtle diplomacy we’ve been accustomed to, then we ought to at least be on notice. The future strategic significance of Greenland, the Panama Canal and his attempts at fear mongering.. harassing Canada for no apparent reason… what’s the agenda?
    Maybe just a distraction…but doubtful. The game is afoot, my friend.
    We give it time and watch this space.
    Engaging writing as always, Edward.

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    1. Thank you very much, Nigel. I’m glad the post made you laugh a little. He’s hard to read, but I’m leaning toward distraction. I’m not sure he wants to damage his brand, which, sadly, seems more important to him than anything else. But, as you said, let’s wait and see.

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  9. Thank you for the scholastic diversion, Edward. It’s nice to have our brains stretched by science, instead of by the illusory truth effect used by the president elect. His tactic of saying fantastical or untrue things until followers can’t tell the difference between fact and fiction seems to be working in his manipulative favor.

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  10. Past nonsense, you forgot he said Canada. We are low-key, not bullies, try to be good neighbours, and we don’t study war. But he better not push this nonsense too far or insinuate any war talk like Goliath did to David! To us here in Canada.

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  11. The Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics sounds like something I learned in a symbolic logic course I took in college, but I don’t remember what it was called. As much as physics befuddles me, I would much rather read your discussion of thermodynamics than watch the latest clown show on the news.

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  19. I try to remain apolitical while we winter in the USA, but when the president elect starts saying he thinks annexing Canada would be a good idea … I have a hard time not pointing out that I believe the man is a dangerous lunatic.

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  20. I was in a humanities graduate program and a professor (whose husband was a physicist) proved this very point in class by asking if any of us knew what “entropy” was. I was the only one who raised a hand.

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    1. I know, and it’s crazy. In part, I understand what they’re doing. It’s one of those insane leadership styles where the use of chaos is necessary to achieve a particular goal—in this case, keeping their base distracted so they don’t notice that their campaign promises aren’t going to be fulfilled.

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        1. Your comment reminds me of why Facebook has a “sad” emoji. Our incoming president is a master of avoiding accountability; I think that’s why he gets so angry on the rare occasions when it happens. I, on the other hand, feel so easily foolish about my mistakes, I think I could be happy if I never had to leave the house.

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          1. Yes and his followers seem to be the same way, no accountability whatsoever.
            I’m that way too, I keep playing my mistakes over and over again in my head because I feel so badly about them for ages.

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  24. Mission accomplished, Ed. It not only distracted me but made me laugh out loud. I was thinking yesterday about renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico. What is he smoking? We have more critical issues to attend to.

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