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New Study Challenges Thermodynamics in Living Systems

11/26/2025

Summary

Story summary

Researchers at Dresden University of Technology show that classical thermodynamics cannot adequately describe living systems.
They studied HeLa cells and found that traditional concepts like "effective temperature" do not capture cellular behavior.
They propose time reversal asymmetry as a more relevant measure of biological disequilibrium.
The study aims to support a fourth law of thermodynamics for living matter, pending identification of observables.

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Story summary

Researchers at Dresden University of Technology show that classical thermodynamics cannot adequately describe living systems.
They studied HeLa cells and found that traditional concepts like "effective temperature" do not capture cellular behavior.
They propose time reversal asymmetry as a more relevant measure of biological disequilibrium.
The study aims to support a fourth law of thermodynamics for living matter, pending identification of observables.