6. Future physics: unanswered questions

Abstract

Today, physics can look back at recent breakthroughs at all scales, small to large, and in all its usages, pure to applied, such as the discovery of the predicted Higgs boson and the surprise discovery of dark energy; successes in exploring space and finding exoplanets, and in examining our own planet; achievements in novel electronic and photonic technology; and in biological physics with new tools to probe living systems and ourselves. These results show that physics continues to deepen our understanding of nature and affect how we live our lives, and raises new questions while addressing old ones. ‘Future physics: unanswered questions’ examines the questions that physicists are currently asking, and considers where physics will go next.