Missing Material Scientists

Most scientists are proud of the last couple of decades – in Physics - practical minded particle hunters have acquired massive and interesting toys that can churn out data like water from an open fire hydrant, in Medicine – life style drugs have enhanced certain experiences and life saving drugs have extended the life by a few months for the terminally ill and in Economics – known theories have been proven again and again. Less fancy scientific areas such as material sciences have been lagging in spite of the high flying nano-materials.  What is missing is innovation in materials to solve practical problems such as room temperature superconductivity,  photo-voltaic material effects with productivity on par with conventional fuels and improvements in strength/weight ratios by many orders of magnitude to change construction modes in housing and transportation. These are, in fact, engineering problems, perhaps less interesting to scientists but nevertheless of significant importance to humanity.

Room temperature superconductivity will eliminate the current 30% loss in transmission of energy, substantially improving humanity's ability to clothe, house and feed the population.  Photo-voltaic parity to conventional fuels can stop the idiotic drilling and burning of fossil fuels and the more idiotic storage of radioactive waste with half-life of over fifty thousand years and the elimination of weaker materials such as steel and wood  in the construction of homes and automobiles can save many thousands of lives around the world.  Yes, these may be less interesting problems for the scientific aristocracy – but they can have much more impact on humanity than adding yet another dark attribute to the universe or extending the life of humans by a few hours.

Materials science, delegated to the less royal engineering status, has been lagging – aching the hearts of the practical minded commoners around the world. It is time we attracted top talent into practical endeavors.