Entropy is not simply “messiness” or chaos, but a measure of how many microscopic arrangements can produce the same observable state. The article argues that this makes entropy a bridge between the atomic world and everyday measurements, and explains why systems tend towards more probable states rather than being driven by a mysterious force.

Using dice, it shows that three six-sided dice have 216 possible ordered outcomes, or microstates, while their total is the observable macrostate. A total of 18 has only one possible combination, giving odds of about 0.4 per cent, whereas a total of 10 has 27 combinations and odds of 12.5 per cent; because it can arise in more ways, it has higher entropy.