Royal Institution Public Talk - On the arrow of time: Shaping our Universe

Join distinguished physicist David Jamieson as he reveals his insight into the arrow of time.

One of the most enigmatic concepts of our Universe, it suggests that time is unidirectional and points from the past into the future. However, this outlook has puzzled scientists for centuries and has been the fuel for many a fierce debate.

In this talk, David will explore the often-misunderstood concept of entropy and the second law of thermodynamics that distinguishes the past from the future. He will shed light on how these fundamental principles connect the laws of physics to the laws of probability and help you discover how we can locally create order from disorder – in apparent defiance of the second law.

He will demonstrate how the orderly process of life exploits the flow of energy from the Sun through the Earth and the dissipation of waste heat into the cold of deep space and why you cannot charge your phone from a bathtub full of hot water.

Through a thought-provoking and engaging discussion, David will provide new insights into the nature of the arrow of time and its role in shaping the Universe.

Note to readers: Go Stargazing is proud to support The Royal Institution by featuring their astronomy-related talks on our website. We recommend visiting their website to learn more about their other fascinating range of presentations.