Heat death of the universe (nonfiction)

Lord Kelvin originated the idea of universal heat death in 1852.

The heat death of the universe is a possible ultimate fate of the universe in which the universe has diminished to a state of no thermodynamic free energy and therefore can no longer sustain processes that increase entropy (including computation and life).

Heat death does not imply any particular absolute temperature; it only requires that temperature differences or other processes may no longer be exploited to perform work.

In the language of physics, this is when the universe reaches thermodynamic equilibrium (maximum entropy).

In the News

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  1823: Havelock announces plan to collaborate with David Rittenhouse and Lord Kelvin on building an orrery which models the heat death of the universe.

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  Lord Kelvin advises public to remain calm despite the ongoing heat death of the universe.

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  Green Lanterns are not going to let this "Heat death of the universe" go down without a fight.

Fiction cross-reference

• The heat-death of those who deserve it - a set of liturgical subroutines attributed to Brainiac (nonfiction).

Footnotes:

• Detectives investigate alleged math crime assassination conspiracy, report that Lord Kelvin's death in 1907 was "not related to heat death of universe".

Nonfiction cross-reference

• Brainiac (nonfiction)
• Computation (nonfiction)
• Green Lantern (nonfiction)
• Power ring (DC Comics) (nonfiction)

External links:

• Heat death of the universe @ Wikipedia