The Sun and the Ordering of Earth

Robert L. Neulieb, Ph.D

President, Institute for Theoretical Biology

41074 Honey Hill Rd.
Theresa, New York 13691

1-315-783-0497theneuliebs@gmail.com

The Sun and the Ordering of Earth

Solar energy is receiving increased attention for its potential applications and its technological and economical limitations.  But little thought has been focused on why one immense solar energy system has been functioning so successfully for billions of years.  Man, has increased his use of energy forms throughout his existence.  But large scale energy conversions have existed for only about 200 years.  Comparisons between natural solar and non-solar energy systems is fundamental to a basic understanding of alternative approaches for solutions of today’s energy dilemma.

Solar energy, primarily as captured by green plants, has fueled the transformation of this planet’s simple atmosphere and barren surface of dust, rocks and simple inorganic compounds into a highly ordered diverse system^1-8.  Solar energy, as captured by the ocean’s waters, provided a continuous supply of fresh water to maintain the process.  A whole multitude of complex molecules formed and organized into components, such as the delicate petals of flowers, the human brain and a myriad of living organisms.  Forest and prairies stand where barren rock endured. This process of ordering has affected virtually the entire earth’s surface, including its atmosphere.

Likewise, man has sought to increase the complexity of earth’s surface.  His cities, transportation networks, computers, smart devices and endless other inventions stand as a monument to his pursuit of order.  As with the natural solar energy systems, man’s efforts also affected most of the earth’s surface.  Unfortunately, however, they rarely produced net order on earth.  Striped-mined lands, oil extraction fields, pollution and climate change are disorderly byproducts which so frequently accompanied his achievements.

The science of physics⁹ illuminates the distinction between earth-based and solar-based systems.  It has long been observed that order, that is net order, cannot be created.  These findings are embodied in The Second Law of Thermodynamics and the concept of entropy.  The creation of order must be accompanied by equal or greater disorder.   (In all processes this disorder must equal or exceed the order produced.)  No real process is 100% efficient.  For these the disorder, must exceed the order.

The crucial difference between the natural solar based and man’s earth based systems is the energy source.  As the sun continually burns toward extinction it becomes more disorderly.  Consistent with The Second Law of Thermodynamics, net order can be created on earth if it is limited to the order relinquished by the sun during the specific conversion to solar-radiant energy that reaches the earth.  The process is the transfer of order from the sun to the earth while the mechanisms involve solar-radiant energy.  In contrast, the use of earth-based energy conversions, such as coal, oil and natural gas, confines, at least initially, the inevitable disorder to the earth’s surface.

Man’s future achievements need not be accompanied by disorderly byproducts scattered over the earth’s surface.  With study, ingenuity and determination, solar radiation may serve many of our needs.  Various technologies to utilize wind and radiant energy are available and more will emerge.  However, there are no guarantees that simply using solar energy, net order will be created.  For millions of years solar-driven-lighting storms have ignited fires in prairies and forests.  Solar energy repeatedly caused the conversion of prairies and forests into a scattering of ashes.  The sun and only the sun can help man order the earth, but it comes with no guarantees --- only opportunities.

References

1.     Neulieb, R. L. and Neulieb, M. K., “The Magic Sun,” Rosicrucian Digest, Dec. 1978.

2.      Neulieb, R. L. and Neulieb, M. K., “The Magic Sun,” Reality, July-August 1979.

3.      Neulieb, R. L. and Neulieb, M. K., “The Magic Sun,” Science Activities, Feb-March 1980.

4.      Neulieb, R. L. and Neulieb, M. K., “The Magic Sun,” Living Alternatives, May 1980.

5.      Neulieb, R. L. and Neulieb, M. K., “The Magic Sun,” New Horizon News Letter, vol. 1 no.4 1985.

6.      Neulieb, R. L. and Neulieb, M. K., “The Magic Sun,” Home Power no. 4 1988.

7.      Neulieb, R. L.,” Summer Magic,” Thousand Island Life, July 2015.

8.      Neulieb, R. L., “The Coming of Summer to the Hardwoods,” Thousand Island Life, April 2016.

9.      Fermi, E., Thermodynamics, Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1936.