A new study by Queen Mary University of London mathematician Professor Ginestra Bianconi proposes a new perspective on one of the deepest questions in modern physics: How can the universe become increasingly structured and complex while still obeying the second law of thermodynamics?
Einstein famously stated that "The second law of thermodynamics occupies a unique position among the laws of Nature," reflecting his conviction that it is among the most fundamental principles of physics and unlikely to be overthrown. The second law states that the total entropy of an isolated system tends to increase over time, a principle often associated with the growth of disorder.
This presents a long-standing puzzle in cosmology. The early universe is generally believed to have existed in a low-entropy state and to evolve toward states of higher entropy. Yet over cosmic history, the universe has also given rise to increasingly complex structures, including galaxies, stars, planets and ultimately life itself. Reconciling the emergence of such ordered structures with the relentless increase of entropy remains an open challenge.
In a recent paper published in Physical Review D, Professor Bianconi investigates this question within the framework of the Gravity from Entropy (GfE) theory, a quantum gravity approach that derives gravity from the microscopic degrees of freedom of spacetime geometry using principles of statistical mechanics
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