The electromagnetic interaction and the prospects of nuclear physics

A few questions are posed concerning the trends in Nuclear Physics. It is argued that this domain is not reducible to a chapter of quantum chromodynamics. Most of the properties of the nuclear medium are linked to its many body character, with nucleons, mesons and nucleon isobars as main participants. The electromagnetic interaction, because it allows to explore not only the wave functions but also the intimate nature of the charge and current densities in the nucleus, provides a unique tool for determining the constituent particles of a nucleus and their interaction. (orig.)