Physics of Life. The Evolution of Everything in the World

Adrian Bejan – Ph.D., a specialist in engineering sciences, thermodynamics, and entropy, one of the most cited scientists in the world, Johnson Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Duke University, author of 30 books and more than 685 scientific articles, author of the law of evolution of flow systems; awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal in 2018; holder of several other prestigious scientific awards. What lies at the root of great ideas? What are the profound properties of all living things? What laws govern all objects of living and non-living nature? Everything is fundamentally tuned to exist as long as possible, have sufficient nourishment, heat, energy, and the ability to move in a chosen direction. This is based on physical laws, and Adrian Bejan demonstrates this while discussing the sustainability of natural and socio-economic systems, food, water, and fuel supplies, and criticizing how the world interprets power and freedom. The author advocates for the absolute applicability of physics in all areas, from culture and sports to politics, and by resorting to tools from natural science, he reveals the principles of operation of all superstructures. He explains what evolution means in each context and draws parallels with the evolution of life in its biological sense. The reader will see that the phenomenon of evolution is much broader and older than the evolutionary schemes that support the biosphere, which will help to look at the planet and its future in a new light.