GoKawiilNew book proposes a 'second law' explaining rising complexity in nature
In their book Time's Second Arrow, Robert Hazen and Michael Wong argue that alongside thermodynamics' entropy-driven decay, there exists a complementary natural principle that consistently pushes matter and systems toward greater order and complexity. They cite phenomena from element formation via nuclear fusion to biological evolution as recurring evidence of this ordering tendency across both living and non-living systems.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
If validated, such a principle could reshape how scientists model everything from planetary chemistry to the origins of life, offering a unifying framework for complexity that current physics lacks. The claim is ambitious and controversial, since establishing a new fundamental law requires rigorous testing beyond compelling analogies and historical examples.
- The book proposes a counterpart to the second law of thermodynamics focused on emergent order.
- Examples span nuclear fusion, planetary evolution, and biological natural selection.
- The authors argue mainstream science has undervalued this complexity-generating tendency.
Time's Second Arrow by Hazen and Wong — This is the very book the review digs into, where mineralogist Robert Hazen and planetary scientist Michael Wong argue that the rise of complexity in the Universe deserves its own law of nature. If the review left you curious about how entropy and evolving order fit together, going straight to the source is the natural next step.
See Time's Second Arrow by Hazen and Wong on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: nature.com — Shields, 2026-08-31
Published there as: “Order from disorder: do we need a new law of physics?”
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