Time’s Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, & New Law of Nature

Stars, planets, minerals, and living organisms can become increasingly diverse and complex over vast spans of time. Yet no existing law of nature fully describes or predicts how these complex systems evolve. In this talk, Robert Hazen will introduce a proposed new natural law that applies to nonliving, living, and symbolic systems. The law suggests that evolution is not limited to biology but occurs throughout the universe. It is based on the idea that systems made up of many interacting parts can gradually develop new ways of functioning.

Hazen describes this process as a possible “second arrow of time,” working alongside the familiar tendency toward greater disorder described by thermodynamics. Join us to learn how researchers are testing this idea by studying the evolution of minerals, soil microbes, tumors, languages, and AI.

Presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.