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Thermodynamics of information

Bits for less or more for bits?

Recent advances in the formulation of the second law of thermodynamics have rekindled interest in the connections between statistical mechanics and information processing. Now a 'Brownian computer' has approached the theoretical limits set by the rejuvenated second law. Or has it?

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Figure 1: The only way is up.

© ISTOCKPHOTO / NIKADA

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Van den Broeck, C. Bits for less or more for bits?. Nature Phys 6, 937–938 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1834

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