What Is Entropy, Really?
Maybe you’ve heard it defined as the “amount of disorder” in a system. And the second law of thermodynamics says the entropy of a closed system always increases over time. So you might think, why should you clean up your office if it will only get messier?That might be true, but you can’t blame it on entropy.
- ▪Maybe you’ve heard it defined as the “amount of disorder” in a system.
- ▪And the second law of thermodynamics says the entropy of a closed system always increases over time.
- ▪So you might think, why should you clean up your office if it will only get messier?That might be true, but you can’t blame it on entropy.
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Rhett AllainScienceJul 24, 2026 7:00 AMWhat Is Entropy, Really?Never mind the “heat death of the universe.” Entropy is just a bridge between two levels of reality.Photo-Illustration: Wired Staff; Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyEntropy is one of the most maligned and misunderstood concepts in science. Maybe you’ve heard it defined as the “amount of disorder” in a system. And the second law of thermodynamics says the entropy of a closed system always increases over time. So you might think, why should you clean up your office if it will only get messier?That might be true, but you can’t blame it on entropy.
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