What area of physics has the most exciting future in your opinion?
i ask because i just fell foul of this question in an interview, and am curious to see what you guys' answers are
nanostuff and space travel
>>7970511
More specifically?
>>7970514
nanomaterials, nanobots for medicine, metamaterials, better methods for space travel, space elevators, faster and more efficient 3d printers that can print using more material also can print organic tissue to a degree
Gravitational waves
The pure blackness that surrounds everything in that picture freaks me out
Makes me think about what space would be if it had no physical objects floating around in it, it of course would be pure blackness, literally nothing
>>7970509
Genetically engineered viruses.
Nah, I actually like developments in renewable energy sources and energy storage systems like ultracapacitors. That's the most pressing concern around the world and critical to the survival of the human species. While genetically engineered viruses would relieve tremendous pressure off the industrial world and would allow society to better capitalize on raw materials, it's a dead-end.
Whatever you think about global warming and shit, the governments talk about energy production and 'sustainability' a lot because fossil fuels are finite, period, and energy production is what allows industrialized society to function at all. If the part of humanity worth saving is to survive we must develop energy sources that are sustainable.
>>7970509
Solid state, and condensed matter.
Why? Because it's exciting to me.
Name an area of physics and I'll tell you how it will be exciting in the future.
Condensed matter physics will produce a revolution in materials engineering and computation soon enough. Just give the theorists time to realize all the cool shit that's possible, the experimentalists time to find easily produced materials that have those characteristics, and the engineers to stop sucking cocks and make better computers.
>>7970576
>Physics
>Exciting
Pick one.
>>7970576
fluid mechanics
>>7970587
Many mathematicians think the Navier-Stokes millennium problem will be solved soon, and with it should come some breach of knowledge that makes modeling problems in fluid mechanics much easier. Practical applications would include the design of technologies that incorporate a new understanding of turbulence. Additionally, accurate weather models that predict the formation of hurricanes, tornados, etc. are also a theoretical possibility.
Magnetohydrodynamics is also an area of special interest in plasma physics and solar astrophysics, and this study would benefit from a better understanding of the Navier-Stokes equations.
>>7970581
I don't know man. To me, this stuff is exciting. I feel bad that you don't think so.
>>7970509
None. Strong AIs constructed by CompSci will replace physicians like science replaced philosophy.
>>7970509
microwave technology. Space beyond satellites is just a waste of money and time.
>>7970587
that's a dead ass field. Just faster versions of the same fucking codes and ideas
>>7970576
Classical Mechanics?
>>7970622
Not really an area of physics that anyone has worked in since the 18th century.
>>7970641
>tfw the only subset of physics you are good at is not only dead but could be done by a trained monkey
>>7970645
Don't worry. physics undergrads just dont go very deep in classical mechanics.
>>7970645
>only subset of physics you are good at
You an undergrad, anon? If so, what year?
>>7970658
Not him but if he is an undergrad that is just sad because I'm NEET and even I'm good at classical mechanics. Use it to design my RC aircraft. A physics BSc is truly trash.
>>7970661
this is why /sci/ is the worst board
>>7970600
The first bit is wrong. The NS millennium problem has some far reaching applications in analysis but few, if any, practical (i.e you can do some shit IRL or on a computer now) problems in fluid dynamics will be any more or less tractable. Turbulence would sort of be a practical application because we really don't understand things like structure factors that well. But, in CFD people have found other ways of verifying their models (e.g detailed experiments) and so it would be a nice thing but not the jump in progress that people might expect. Like I said a NS solution would change PDE theory (at least the novelty of the techniques required for proof) quite alot, but almost nothing would change in the way of shit like weather prediction. MHD is pretty tite tho. And actually plasma physics is very exciting and will probably be the hottest shit on the block soon enough.
>>7970509
For applied physics I'd say solid state physics especially new high temperature superconductivity (which is just opening up now as we speak) and nanotech (since that is on a steady march forward)
For physics that is not applied on the near time scale I'd say planetary sciences (lots of successful missions and intriguing results) and space research, especially now that gravitational waves will open up new vistas as nothing known can stop these waves.
As for particle physics the dark matter / dark energy stuff tastes of b0rken models - a revolution is well overdue.
>>7970561
>Solid state, and condensed matter
This is always safe for getting jobs. And making new devices.
>>7970542
>Genetically engineered viruses.
Sure, that is the uneasy exciting kind of nanotech. It takes a rather special kind of mind to work on a weapon that will exterminate specific ethnicities. And they have worked on this for over 30 years. And how can you protect against something like this once released?
>>7970509
Astrology
>>7970641
untrue, i've got a couple of profs working on it
>>7970509
string theory
Biophysics
>>7973043
Ayy
>>7970509
Optics. You're just a popsci fag if you think it's something like massive gravity or string theory.
>>7973263
implying solid state isn't a valid answer what with no 100% mapping of superconductors
