Nuclear physics-challenges and opportunities

Nuclear physics spans a remarkable range from the most fundamental of questions concerning the nature and unification of the natural forces and the ultimate structure of matter to the most applied concerning our everyday activities. With new insight into the structure and behaviour of nuclei, the science is undergoing a renaissance - and one marked by greatly expanded horizons. Perhaps the two most important changes in the field in recent years have been this vigorous expansion of our science into the fertile interface areas with other sciences such as particle, atomic, and condensed matter physics, astrophysics, geophysics, chemistry, materials and surface science and the development of ever more precise measurement techniques in all its areas. Using a highly personal selection of examples from modern work, the paper illustrates some of the progress made in our understanding of nuclear phenomena, presents a very few examples of the application of nuclear tools, techniques and concepts to other sciences and to technology, and highlights some of the outstanding challenges and opportunities that nuclear science faces. (author). 30 figs., 1 tab., 114 refs