Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Universe Has 100x More Entropy Than We Thought

Posted by kdawson on from the clean-up-your-room-that'll-help dept.

eldavojohn writes "Previous estimates are now thought to skimp on the entropy of the observable universe. The researchers contend that super-massive black holes are the largest contributor of entropy. Since they contribute two orders of magnitude more than previously thought, the total of all the observable universe is correspondingly higher. The paper highlights (in gruesome detail) new issues that arise with these new calculations — like estimating us a little bit closer to heat death (moving entropy totals from 10^102 to 10^104 out of a maximum of 10^122)."

21 of 304 comments (clear)

  1. Excellent! by Dyinobal · · Score: 3, Funny

    I can finally move forward with the plans for my Entropy Cannon.

    1. Re:Excellent! by Afforess · · Score: 4, Funny

      It self-destructs, correct?

      --
      If our elected representatives no longer represent us, do we still live in a Democracy?
    2. Re:Excellent! by FlyingSquidStudios · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, it merely reaches a state of equilibrium, so it never fires.

      --
      http://twitter.com/OLDTELEGRAM
  2. MC Hawking on Entropy by tylersoze · · Score: 2, Funny

    http://www.mchawking.com/includes/lyrics/entropy_lyrics.php

    1. Re:MC Hawking on Entropy by vivin · · Score: 4, Funny

      The researchers contend that super-massive black holes are the largest contributor of entropy.

      I have also heard that "glaciers melting in the dead of night" contribute to entropy quite a bit.

      --
      Vivin Suresh Paliath
      http://vivin.net

      I like
  3. Fourth Law by T.E.D. · · Score: 5, Funny

    I propose a Fourth Law of Thermodynamics: There's more entropy than you think there is.

    1. Re:Fourth Law by Aphoxema · · Score: 4, Funny

      Fourth Law of Thermdynamics: There's always more entropy then you think there is, even when you take into account the Fourth Law of Thermodynamics.

      I still wouldn't worry about the heat death of the universe, though, unlike those in the aforementioned link.

      You forgot to recursively account for the fourth law, you fool! The death of the universe will now be exponentially sooner every moment that passes!

      --
      "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"
  4. gosh by phantomfive · · Score: 2, Funny

    Things are just falling apart all over!

    --
    Qxe4
    1. Re:gosh by Aphoxema · · Score: 2, Funny

      Things are just falling apart all over!

      On the contrary; things are falling together.

      --
      "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"
  5. discovery by unjedai · · Score: 5, Funny

    Universe Has 100x More Entropy Than We Thought

    Scientists must have discovered my daughters room.

    1. Re:discovery by royallthefourth · · Score: 5, Funny

      Universe Has 100x More Entropy Than We Thought

      Scientists must have discovered my daughters room.

      No, but the football team sure has!

  6. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by abbynormal+brain · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, it looks like we are closer to the novel than previously thought? And rather than witnessing the "end of the univers" (with dinner and wine) we are observing the cleaning crew (black holes) picking up the ... er ... mess?

    --
    L'esperienza de questa dolce vita (The experience of this sweet life) - Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
  7. Re:Second Law of Thermodynamics by Jesus_666 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Granted, Evolution isn't the nicest PIM software on the market but impossible? I think that's a bit harsh a verdict.

    --
    USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
  8. Entropy source by argent · · Score: 2, Funny

    So if I connected my server's entropy generator to a black hole I'd never have to type a page full of gibberish to generate my SSH key pair again!

  9. Re:You down with entropy? by mcgrew · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wow, Vogons posting on slashdot!

    --
    Free Martian Whores!
  10. Re:Any astrophysics geeks out there by ArcCoyote · · Score: 5, Funny

    being haughty to AC is like shouting at a tree because a squirrel annoyed you.

  11. Re:Black holes contribute to entropy ? by ArcCoyote · · Score: 2, Funny

    It goes in as a star or a chicken or a pistachio and comes out as random energy

    I want something that does the opposite. When I push a button. Without the billions of years it normally takes.

  12. Re:Heat Death by commodore64_love · · Score: 4, Funny

    >>>What, if anything, does that mean for the past and future of the universe?

    There was a Doctor Who TNG episode about this. The universe at the point of heat death was a sad and depressing place to be... very very dark To paraphrase Marvin the Depressed Robot - Might as well slit my wrist now, since it will all end in tears anyhow.

    Now the world has gone to bed
    Darkness won't engulf my head
    I can see by infra-red
    How I hate the night

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
  13. Re:Heat Death by Omestes · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you have an alternate way of referring to the original Doctor Who and the new Doctor Who show, I'm open to suggestions.

    Doctor Two?

    --
    A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government. -edward abbey
  14. Messier by ozbird · · Score: 2, Funny

    A new calculation of entropy upholds that general result but suggests that the universe is messier than scientists had thought

    I propose a three level scale: Messy, Messier, and Messiest objects.

  15. Re:You down with entropy? by Nursie · · Score: 2, Funny

    Atheist movement? ROFL.

    FAIL.