[FredZarguna]

Something to understand: Thermodynamics is a descriptive branch of physics and not a theoretical one. That is, it is purely observational. The First Law of Thermodynamics -- which you correctly identify to be a restatement of the Law of Conservation of Energy -- is an observation and nothing more. We have never observed energy being created, nor destroyed. So we accept as axiomatic that this is true.

All four laws of Thermodynamics are of this kind. But the deeper explanations of why they are true [except for the 0^th Law] come from other theoretical parts of physics and not Thermodynamics itself.

[driftless2]

I am no physicist, but thanks for the explanation. Whatever it is, matter is real. Something created it. It did not create itself...... unlike David Warner’s character in “Time Bandits.”

[dhs12345]

But his point is still valid. The science that attempts to explain it is totally bizarre and strange and completely unexpected.

Actually, Physics is just an extension of process of observation.

Theory - observation - more theory about the observation - observation and proof — more theory — more observation... until we are way out on a limb in the classical sense. The scientific process.