During a physics class I took in college, the professor introduced the unit on thermodynamics with a quote from Albert Einstein, who said that it is “the only physical theory of universal content which I am convinced . . . will never be overthrown.” I was suitably impressed. Yet within about 10 minutes my enthusiasm flagged. Sure, the field might be eternal, but even Einstein’s imprimatur couldn’t glamorize the grubby details of heat exchange and energy conservation.
Such is the fate of thermodynamics. It’s arguably the most successful scientific theory in history, sweeping and precise and revolutionary all at once. And virtually no one cares.
“Einstein’s Fridge: How the Difference Between Hot and Cold Explains the Universe,” a wide-ranging book by the British documentary filmmaker Paul Sen, sets out to rectify that situation. Mr. Sen knows the challenge that awaits him. In the book’s very first sentence, he laments that “thermodynamics is a dreadful name.” It implies a bland focus on heat flow and, to me at least, conjures up images of Victorians in stuffy suits tinkering with steam engines. It’s a far cry from the romance of relativity or the enigmatic koans of quantum mechanics. Mr. Sen nevertheless makes a strong case that thermodynamics is every bit as lively as those other fields—and vastly more useful for understanding what makes the universe tick.
