TIME and THERMODYNAMICS

A legend of the ancient Greeks tells the story of a god called Prometheus, who taught people how to make fire. This gave a tremendous boost to humanity, and the other gods were furious with Prometheus for allowing humans to wield such potency. Although the story of Prometheus is a myth, the ability to harness fire and heat did provide people with some of their earliest technology. Steam powered much of the Industrial Revolution, a period of time beginning in the late 18th century in which machines tremendously advanced the productivity of manufacturing and transportation. But heat, temperature, and their relationships are much broader subjects than just steam-powered machines. Warmth is associated with life and activity; cold is associated with death and stillness. Some organisms rely on the environment to provide warmth, and some organisms can generate their own, but all living beings must adapt and interact in a world in which temperature is not constant.