Research interestsNature is rich but not random in its diversity. Also complexity of nature is astounding but not arbitrary. We do recognize rules and regularities, and call them laws of physics, chemistry, more often as relations in biology, economics and social sciences. Furthermore nature displays ubiquitous characteristics across the schools and scales, most notably power-laws and skewed distributions as well as sigmoid patterns of growth and decline that make no distinction between living and non-living. These universalities imply to us that there is a common organizing principle.The principle of least action was early on thought of as a powerful way to make sense of various complex phenomena as well as of simple matters. It says that a difference in energy of any kind will level off in the least time. Since the naturalistic tenet assigns energy to everything that exist, natural processes can be described by an equation of motion. Its analysis reveals that evolution is inherently intractable, path-dependent process. Yet evolution is not a random sequence of events. Various processes as flows of energy will themselves search and naturally select ways and means, such as species, to consume free energy in the least time. In this way evolution steps from one state of symmetry to another by acquiring or expelling at least one quantum of action. It is the photon, the basic constituent of nature. A step down in free energy is an irreversible step forward in time. Eventually no more new properties will emerge and no old ones will vanish, when the system attains equilibrium with its surroundings. At the free-energy minimum stasis systemic dynamics is on stable and computable trajectories. As apparent from papers below many phenomena, puzzles and paradoxes can be comprehended by the supreme law of nature.In the past our worldview has widened as our delusions of our uniqueness have narrowed. Remains will vanish in examinations by the universal principle. |
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Arto Annila, Dr. , Prof. E-mail: arto.annila(at)helsinki.fi Department of Physics POB 64 (Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2) FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland Phone: +358 9 191 50629
Education Doctor of Technology, Tech. Phys., Helsinki Univ. of Technology, 1991 Civil Engineer, Tech. Phys., Helsinki Univ. of Technology, 1988 M.Sc. Biochemistry, University of Helsinki, 1996
Homepage at
Quoted · Evolution as Described by the Second Law of Thermodynamics · 2nd Law in Economic Evolution · Kvanttimekaniikka ja energiavirta · A second look at supernovae light: Universe's expansion may be understood without dark energy · Why is economic growth so popular?
Esitelmiä (Lectures in Finnish) |
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Papers (Directory by Big questions)
Sharma V, Annila A. Natural process – Natural selection. Biophys. Chem. 2007 127, 123–128. doi:10.1016/j.bpc.2007.01.005 (pdf) The principle of increasing entropy is derived as an equation of motion from statistical physics of open systems. Grönholm T, Annila A. Natural distribution. Math. Biosci. 2007 210, 659–667. doi:10.1016/j.mbs.2007.07.004 (pdf) Power laws and lognormal distributions follow from the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Kaila VRI, Annila A. Natural selection for least action. Proc. R. Soc. A. 2008 464, 3055–3070. doi:10.1098/rspa.2008.0178 (pdf) The principle of least action is equivalent to the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Jaakkola S, Sharma V, Annila A. Cause of chirality consensus. Curr. Chem. Biol. 2008 2, 53–58. arXiv:0906.0254 (pdf) Standards of nature follow from the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Jaakkola S, El-Showk S, Annila A. The driving force behind genomic diversity. Biophys. Chem. 2008 134, 232–238, (136). arXiv:0807.0892 (pdf) Genomic diversity follows from the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Würtz P, Annila A. Roots of diversity relations. J. Biophys. 2008 doi:10.1155/2008/654672. arXiv:0906.0251 (pdf) Species-area relationship follows from the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Annila A, Annila E. Why did life emerge? Int. J. Astrobio. 2008 7, 293–300. doi:10.1017/S1473550408004308 (pdf) Life in its entirety is a natural process that follows the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Tuisku P, Pernu TK, Annila A. In the light of time. Proc. R. Soc. A. 2009 465, 1173–1198. doi:10.1098/rspa.2008.0494 (pdf) A flow of time is a flow of energy. Karnani M, Annila A. Gaia again. BioSystems 2009 95, 82–87. doi:10.1016/j.biosystems.2008.07.003 (pdf) Global homeostasis is a maximum entropy state equivalent to a free-energy minimum state. Sharma V, Kaila VRI, Annila A. Protein folding as an evolutionary process. Physica A 2009 388, 851–862. doi:10.1016/j.physa.2008.12.004 (pdf) Protein folding is inherently an intractable process. Annila A, Kuismanen E. Natural hierarchy emerges from energy dispersal. BioSystems 2009 95, 227–233. doi:10.1016/j.biosystems.2008.10.008 (pdf) Hierarchy of nature follows from the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Karnani M, Pääkkönen K, Annila A. The physical character of information. Proc. R. Soc. A. 2009 465, 2155–2175. doi:10.1098/rspa.2009.0063 (pdf) Information is physical due to its representations that are subject to the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Annila A, Salthe S. Economies evolve by energy dispersal. Entropy 2009 11, 606–633. doi:10.3390/e110406067 (pdf) Economies are energy transduction systems that follow the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Annila A. Space, time and machines. 2009 http://arxiv.org/abs/0910.2629 (pdf) Some present problems in physics and contemporary conjectures of mathematics are addressed by the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Würtz P, Annila A. Ecological succession as an energy dispersal process. BioSystems 2010 100, 70–78. doi:10.1016/j.biosystems.2010.01.004 (pdf) Succession follows from the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Annila A. The 2nd law of thermodynamics delineates dispersal of energy. Int. Rev. Phys. 2010 4, 29–34. (pdf) The 2nd law of thermodynamics is given in its diverse forms. Annila A. All in action. Entropy 2010 12, 2333–2358. http://arxiv.org/abs/1005.3854 (pdf) Nature in its entirety and every detail is pictured in terms of actions and related mathematical conjectures are examined. Annila A, Salthe S. Cultural naturalism. Entropy 2010 12, 1325–1343. doi:10.3390/e12061325 (pdf) Culture is described as a society’s means to consume free energy. Annila A, Kallio-Tamminen T. Tangled in entanglements. 2010 http://arxiv.org/abs/1006.0463 (pdf) Conceptual conundrums of quantum mechanics are tackled using the principle of least action. Annila A, Salthe S. Physical foundations of evolutionary theory. J. Non-equilb. Thermodyn. 2010 35, 301–321. doi:10.1515/JNETDY.2010.19 (pdf) The theory of evolution by natural selection is subsumed by the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Mäkelä T, Annila A. Natural patterns of energy dispersal. Phys. Life Rev. 2010 7, 477–498. doi:10.1016/j.plrev.2010.10.001 (pdf) Many mathematical models are found as approximations of the evolutionary equation of motion. Koskela M, Annila A. Least-action perihelion precession. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 2011 417, 1742–1746. http://arxiv.org/abs/1009.1571 (pdf) Perihelion precession is calculated using the principle of least action. Annila A. Least-time paths of light. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 2011 416, 2944–2948. (pdf) The principle of least action accounts for paths of light through varying energy densities in agreement with astronomical observations. Anttila J, Annila A. Natural games. Phys. Lett. A 2011 375, 3755–3761. http://arxiv.org/abs/1103.1656 (pdf) Behavior in the context of game theory is described as a natural process. Hartonen T, Annila A. Natural networks. 2011 http://arxiv.org/abs/1106.4127 (pdf) Scale-free characteristics of networks follow from least-time energy dispersal. Annila A. The meaning of mass. 2011 (pdf) Particles are described as actions to explain that charges, magnetic moments and masses are manifestations of quantized geodesics. Annila A. Probing Mach’s principle. 2011 (pdf) The principle of least action accounts for geodetic precession and frame-dragging effects by photon-embodied physical vacuum. Pernu TK, Annila A. Natural emergence. Complexity 2012 (pdf) Novel qualities will materialize when quanta from surroundings incorporate into a system and thereby open up new modes of interactions. Koskela M, Annila A. Looking for LUCA. Genes 2012 3, 81-87. (pdf) The quest for the last universal common ancestor is an unattainable attempt and indicates impaired understanding of what life actually is. Keto J, Annila A. The capricious character of nature. Life 2012 2, 165-169. (pdf) Courses of nature are inherently unpredictable since processes and their driving forces depend on each other. Annila A. Physical portrayal of computational complexity. 2012 http://arxiv.org/abs/0906.1084 (pdf) ISRN Computational Mathematics Computation is intractable when there are degrees of freedom for dissipative computational steps. |
