Speaker
Description
Nuclear science is a field of research addressing the properties of the constituents of matter at the heart of the atom. From the quarks to nuclear reactions in stars, nuclear science is driven by the passion of its communities and the research funding they secure, mostly from tax-payers. But some may wonder what returns does society gain from this investment.
Besides the evident developments related to the nuclear energy sector, nuclear science has direct impact in the medical sector, and in particular in the treatment of some of the most challenging forms of cancer, as well as in space exploration, in better understanding the climate, in heritage science, and many more fields. Some of these applications are directly driven by nuclear science while some other are serendipitous findings that have created domains of their own.
In this contribution, some examples of exciting applications of nuclear science will be presented, the recent work performed in the preparation of the NuPECC Long Range Plan for Nuclear Physics in Europe will be used to highlight how nuclear scientists are actively contributing to answering challenges of our society, as summarised by the United Nations with the Sustainable Development Goals
