Conservation of energy isn’t just a good idea: It is the law. In particular, it is the first law of thermodynamics. But, apparently, a lot of people don’t really get that because history is replete ...

Perhaps the most persistent nonsense in physics: the perpetual motion machine. Bad ideas come and go in physics. But there’s one bit of nonsense that is perhaps more persistent than all others: the ...

Nothing lasts forever. This is good life advice, and it also happens to be an important feature of our physical universe. Natural philosophers considered and discarded the idea of ‘perpetual motion’ a ...

A 'perpetual motion machine' that can continue working without applying energy from outside is impossible in the real world. However, figurines that look like perpetual motion machines are being sold ...

At the turn of the 20th century, the quest for a perpetual motion machine took hold of public imagination. A number of Hoosiers were among those captivated by the idea of creating a perpetual motion ...