The study of energy and entropy in systems that are far from equilibrium, constantly adapting, and where the very rules of heat and work are entangled with emerging patterns. It's thermodynamics for a universe that won't sit still—applied to hurricanes, economies, or the internet. Unlike classic thermodynamics which deals with static or simple equilibrium states, this field wrestles with systems where energy flows create structure, feedback loops amplify or dampen change, and entropy production becomes a driver of complexity rather than just a measure of disorder. It's the physics of becoming, not just being.