The first law of thermodynamics is one of the bedrock laws of physics. Even if you’re not gung-ho for physics research, you might have heard the simplified version: energy can neither be created nor ...

Thermodynamics and statistical physics provide a unified framework linking the macroscopic laws of energy, work, and entropy to the microscopic motions of particles. Thermodynamics, rooted in the laws ...

Though a cornerstone of thermodynamics, entropy remains one of the most vexing concepts to teach budding physicists in the classroom. Physics teachers designed a hand-held model to demonstrate the ...

Scientists have created the world's hottest engine running at temperatures hotter than those reached in the sun's core. The ...

Anomalous” heat flow, which at first appears to violate the second law of thermodynamics, gives physicists a way to detect ...

Image of argon plasma glowing a bluish color in an experiment at the WVU Center for KINETIC Plasma Physics. (Credit: WVU Photo/Brian Persinger) The four laws of thermodynamics are an established ...

Researchers have discovered a method to surpass traditional thermodynamic limits in converting waste heat into electricity.

USC engineers have developed an optical system that routes light autonomously using thermodynamic principles. Rather than ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about physics, science, academia, and pop culture. We're nearing the end of a months-long home improvement project that ...