Earth is like a cosmic game of Jenga, each block represents a fragment of order in the universe. As we pull and place each block, the tower grows taller, more complex, yet increasingly unstable. Entropy becomes a perpetual game of Jenga, where there is a constant tendency for the universe to move toward chaos. Can humans outpace entropy to reverse it? This is not just philosophical—it is tangible.

Entropy is a measure of the disorder of a system. The second law of thermodynamics dictates that entropy always changes towards greater randomness in an isolated system. It describes why everything tends towards chaos and our need to exert effort to create order: why your room does not clean itself up, why relationships require maintenance, and why progress seems elusive.

The second law additionally provides a criterion for stability in an isolated system. In a state of maximum entropy, the system is stable. Any change would result in increased entropy (or no change). However, if entropy is at its maximum, there are no higher states accessible to it. The maximum is local, not absolute.¹ 

Life itself challenges entropy by building and maintaining complex, low-entropy structures. The apparent contradiction is explained by Earth being an open system, where the Sun’s constant energy input decreases entropy in localized “orders.” This can be seen in forms of art, such as the detailed sand mandalas created by Tibetan monks, technology like computers that process information, or social structures that encourage community and cooperation.

Thermodynamics applies to macroscopic systems, where variables like temperature and pressure—hence entropy—are averages. Wherever averages exist, fluctuations are present. Regularly, the entropy of a confined gas cannot increase, but small fluctuations may momentarily violate the second law of thermodynamics. 

Entropy not only applies to everyday lives but also has implications on global warming and resource depletion. These phenomena—rising temperatures and diminishing resources—indicate the mounting chaos in our climates and our ecosystems. However, these are also obstacles that human cleverness may find a way around. 

Thermodynamics applies to macroscopic systems, where variables like temperature and pressure—hence entropy—are averages. Wherever averages exist, fluctuations (deviations from these averages) are present.² On average, the entropy of a confined gas cannot increase, but small fluctuations may momentarily violate the second law of thermodynamics. 

The idea of entropy even ties into Murphy’s Law: “If anything can go wrong, it will.” This is not mere pessimism but a reflection of how many things can go wrong versus how few can go right. This is why problems arise naturally and why solutions require effort. 

At first glance, the theory that we spawned from tiny fluctuations of order in a sea of chaos seems rather grim—but taken another way, it is miraculous that more lasting structures like ourselves exist at all. Humanity’s ability to paint the Mona Lisa, split the atom, or build a computer shows that, at least locally, we can reduce entropy to solve problems. While painting the Mona Lisa does not answer a particular issue, it does demonstrate our ability to establish long-term order and civilisation in an entropic world. Other breakthroughs, like as splitting the atom and inventing computers, directly address complicated issues ranging from energy generation to technological innovation. In the unlikely event of our existence at all (the astronomical odds), order can come out of chaos.

It is a future, nevertheless, we must face: as the universe dies out, heat death is inevitable.¹  This is the highest entropy state, and no work—whether in the physical sense of energy transmission or any other type of productive activity—can be done. 

As the world faces climate change and dwindling resources, our collective knowledge of entropy will shape our future. The second law of thermodynamics states that energy spontaneously disperses, yet technologies such as heat pumps and regenerative brakes challenge this by absorbing and reusing what would otherwise be considered wasted energy. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, work beyond traditional thermodynamic restrictions by collecting energy directly from chaotic natural systems. As Physicist Ilya Prigogine noted, while disorder grows, so does our capacity to create order within it.³ By continuing to develop, we may not only reduce energy waste but also build systems that operate more efficiently within the constraints of entropy, advancing long-term growth. The answer hinges on whether we can work around constraints imposed by the second law of thermodynamics.

Bluntly, understanding entropy is not merely academia: it is a key to learning where we fit in this universe and how much of it we can bend ourselves. We are endlessly balancing the act of building and rebuilding this increasingly abstract tower in a cosmic game. Therein lies our largest offense and our greatest obligation. How we face rising entropy will decide the fate of life as we know it. That is the question: Are we key building blocks in this universal balancing act, or just another jenga piece ready to fall as the tower collapses?

References 

1. Kostic, M. M. (2020). The Second Law and Entropy Misconceptions Demystified. Entropy, 22(6), 648. https://doi.org/10.3390/e22060648
2. Bohren, C. F., & Albrecht, B. A. (2023b). ‘Entropy,’ Atmospheric Thermodynamics. In Oxford University Press eBooks (pp. 229–284). https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198872702.003.0004
3. I Prigogine, & Stengers, I. (1984). Order out of chaos: man’s new dialogue with nature. Bantam Books.

Image References 

1. Chittum, M. (2021). Entropy & Chaos [Hybrid of Analog and Digital Media]. In CryptoArtNet. https://www.cryptoartnet.com/cryptoartists/nft-art/entropy-chaos/