thermodynamics

Why does time only ever move in one direction? We talk to philosophers of physics Jeremy Butterfield and David Wallace, as well as the eminent Roger Penrose about the puzzle time poses to physicists and what it has to do with the Big Bang and the second law of thermodynamics.

Everyone knows what time is. We can practically feel it ticking away, marching on in the same direction with horrifying regularity. Time has enslaved the Western world and become our most precious commodity. Turn it over to the physicists however, and it begins to morph, twist and even crumble away. So what is time exactly?

Tea gone cold? Don't worry, you can cheer yourself up with the theory of thermodynamics.

A new model of the formation of the Moon's crust finally explains the diversity and range of ages of rocks found on the lunar surface.

Bridging the gap between the microscopic snd the macroscopic.

We talk to Chiara Marletto about a new way of looking at the physical world that may solve some of the problems physicists are currently struggling with.

A new way of looking at the physical world promises to shed light on some of the problems physics as we know it can't deal with.

This article explores how constructor theory may be able to provide answers to the questions posed in the first part of the article.

We explore some problems physics as we know it has trouble dealing with and a new theory that may provide answers.

Is it about energy? Is it about disorder? Or is it about information? It's all three!

Our messy desk is proof of the second law of thermodynamics...

  • Want facts and want them fast? Our Maths in a minute series explores key mathematical concepts in just a few words.

  • As COP28, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, kicks off we look at how maths can help understand the climate crisis.

  • How do you create dramatic film out of mathematics? We find out with writer and director Timothy Lanzone.

  • Mathematics plays a central role in understanding how infectious diseases spread. This collection of articles looks at some basic concepts in epidemiology to help you understand this fascinating and important field, and set you up for further study.

  • Find out why the formula we use to work out conditional probabilities is true!

  • We talk about a play that explores the fascinating mathematical collaboration between the mathematicians GH Hardy and Srinivasa Ramanujan.