A theory has been developed that characterizes how rattling is related to the amount of time that a system spends in a state, explaining self-organization in nonequilibrium systems such as bacterial colonies, protein complexes, and hybrid materials.
This review article discusses the concept of entropy in statistical physics and its role as both a tool for inference and a measure of time irreversibility. It highlights the developments in stochastic thermodynamics and the principle of maximum caliber, emphasizing the importance of cross-talk among researchers in disparate fields.