将来のエネルギー危機に関して、それと向き合う方法の一つを紹介すると共に、学生・大学院生も交えて科学技術の進むべき方向について議論する。

Some kind of puzzles with unanswered questions in science is not the ones that dictate our routine practices on science. Since 1924 when the grand principle of quantum mechanics was fully established, we have enjoyed blossoming aspects of science that have changed our life in general. The puzzles of today are what now and then in scientific achievements which will drastically affect our life on earth. It is very obvious that what is evolved these days to enrich our life is not the science but technology. Before there will be any appearance of new and novel theory or even grand principle, the most worrisome picture of our civilization is to be unbalanced impacts and benefits of technology which will be or are the burdens of tomorrow.

We have too many questions to be elaborated for now. What will be the one that mostly affects our life in general? Where are we heading for? Over the centuries, the wave of modern civilization has spread across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to China and India nowadays. Gigantic land and population masses of China and India together are going to be a great reservoir to hold and halt the continuous progress of the wave of civilization and act like the walls of nowhere that hold down its own momentum. The walls of nowhere are China and India. It is a wonder whether the wave of civilization even reaches to African continent. Notable crises due to rising demands of resources by these reservoirs doom over many achievements for our better life. The energy will be a critical issue. Will there be any new technology we create with a plot of ingenuity that will give us an insight to resolve the energy crisis in a foreseeable future? We will discuss about the issues of energy need and potential options for relieving the marred picture of energy needs. We will turn our angle to “nanotechnology” for any potential solutions for energy conversion or generation.

As we see, we have mined almost all areas in science which are in a meso-scale. What else left are the two extreme ends. Accordingly, we need to see the small (nanotechnology) and mega (astrophysics) worlds to mine knowledge and necessities.

KEYWORDS: Civilization, Energy, Nanotechnology