In human thermodynamics, Erich A. Müller (c.1969-) is a Venezuelan chemical engineer noted for his 1998 article “Human Societies: a Curious Application of Thermodynamics”, in which he defined humans to be analogous to molecules (human molecules), then quantified inter human molecular love and hate in terms of basic thermodynamic pair bonds, and the lastly quantified social forces as a type of van der Waals dispersion force. [1] Müller currently is a reader in thermodynamics at the Imperial College London. [2] The Müller stability ratio is named after him.

Human molecular interactions
In 2006, Müller was interviewed by journalist Laura Gallagher, with Reporter magazine, for his popularity for his invigorating thermodynamic lectures in which he draws analogies between molecules and people. In the resulting article titled ‘A Thermodynamic Personality’, Müller states ‘I make lectures a little more light-hearted to get everyone interested. Thermodynamics can be very close to everyday things but some of the textbooks can make it seem abstract. There is no need for it always to look that scary.’ Likewise, according to Gallagher, Müller compares people with molecules to help his students understand interactions between molecules and visualise how they behave. ‘Liquids come together because their molecules attract each other, just like human beings, who like to get close together at parties. However, molecules repel each other when they are too close in the same way that no-one wants to be approached by a close-talker.’ [3]

References
1. (a) Müller , Erich. A. (1998). “Human Societies: a Curious Application of Thermodynamics.” Chemical Engineering Education, Vol. 1, No. 3, Summer.
(b) Thims, Libb. (2007). Human Chemistry (Volume Two), (preview), (Section: "Müller dispersion forces", pgs. 629-638). Morrisville, NC: LuLu.
2. Erich Müller - Imperial College London
3. Gallagher, Laura. (2006). “A Thermodynamic Personality: Interview with Erich Müller”, Reporter, Issue 162, 24 February.