Quantum information theory provides the most coherent explanation of the
emergence and obliteration of correlations, even in macroscopic systems
exhibiting few traditional quantum hallmarks. Turbulence is a familiar
example of a process generating not only correlations but awe-inspiring
complexity, and it is natural to wonder where this complexity comes from
and how long it lasts. We discuss the central role of entanglement in
the origin and obliteration of correlations, then attempt to apply the
theory to understand the birth and death of complexity, appropriately
defined.