To mark the bicentenary of Sadi Carnot’s seminal work, “Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire and on Machines Fitted to Develop This Power” (1824), Gilles Bertrand, Professor Emeritus of Physical Chemistry at the ICB Laboratory (University of Burgundy Europe), has written a book that sheds new light on the scientific and visionary legacy of the father of thermodynamics and underscores the modernity of his thinking in a context marked by the energy transition and environmental challenges.
This book is the published proceedings of the Carnot Colloquium, held on November 21 and 22, 2024, in Le Creusot, organized by the François Bourdon Academy. It brings together contributions from the colloquium’s lectures and discussions, offering a contemporary and comprehensive perspective on Sadi Carnot’s scientific legacy and the current relevance of his work in thermodynamics.
Carnot: A Message More Relevant Than Ever
By revisiting Carnot’s remarkable insight—understanding how to convert heat into mechanical power—this book highlights the lasting impact of his thinking on our modern technologies. Two centuries later, in a world committed to a necessary energy transition, the question of the efficiency and energy cost of these transformations remains central. Gilles Bertrand offers a comprehensive reflection: how can we move from a model based on fossil fuels to a society capable of fully harnessing new renewable energies?
“This book offers the reader a broad overview of thermodynamics through 22 articles. It notably addresses the historical aspects of thermodynamics, as well as the question of the future of our planet, the structures of the living world, promising extensions into the quantum realm, and the potential of solar energy. Engines and materials are also explored, including an innovative project in powder metallurgy. Many other gems await discovery.” He also discusses teaching thermodynamics and the fun way to approach it through comics. In short, a very well-researched book on the scientific relevance of Carnot’s visionary message of 1824, opening onto the future!”
📅 Publication date: October 16, 2025
📖 Publisher: Editions universitaires de Dijon – Sciences
🔗 Available
