Jorge Berger

Physics Unit, ORT Braude College, P. O. Box 78, 21982 Karmiel, Israel
and Department of Physics,Technion, 32000 Haifa, Israel. Fax 972 4 985 7777, E-mail: [email protected]

Received: 18 June 2003 / Accepted: 19 December 2003 / Published: 12 March 2004

Abstract: I review some selected situations in which order builds up from randomness, or a losing trend turns into winning. Except for Section 4 (which is mine), all cases are well documented and the price paid to achieve order is apparent.

Keywords: Maxwell demon; Brownian ratchet; persistent current; paradoxical game; fluctuations.