7.10 Byland
 
graphic
 
Ultimately all systems will reach their equilibrium state of total disorder and maximum entropy; they will then have died what is picturesquely called a 'heat death', with all their parts having equal amounts of energy.  Nothing new can happen in such a corpse.  A death of this type has been envisaged for the Universe, and was described imaginatively by Olaf Stapledon, "Presently nothing was left in the whole cosmos but darkness and the dark whiffs of dust that once were galaxies"
 
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