Frontier Questions and Emerging Directions in Nuclear Science and Technology

Abstract

Recent advances in nuclear science and technology are being driven simultaneously by fundamental questions on strong interactions and many-body emergence, by the rapid expansion of rare-isotope capabilities and multimessenger astronomy, and by growing societal demand for clean energy, precision medicine, and strategic technologies. This review reorganizes the "ten frontier questions" for nuclear science and technology, offering a scholarly roadmap accessible to a broad audience. We first discuss the fundamental frontiers, including the nonperturbative origin of hadronic mass, the properties of QCD matter under extreme conditions, the multiscale evolution of nuclear structure from light nuclei to the superheavy region, the physics of exotic nuclei and open quantum systems near the driplines, and the nuclear-astrophysical origin of the elements. We then emphasize enabling methodologies, especially modern \textit{ab initio} and continuum-coupled theories, advanced accelerator and detector platforms, precision mass spectrometry, and the emerging role of data-driven and artificial-intelligence-assisted methodologies. Finally, we review translational and strategic directions, including advanced fission and fusion energy systems, cross-disciplinary nuclear technologies such as radiomedicine, isotope science, and nuclear clocks, as well as the long-term challenges of fuel cycles, waste management, and international cooperation. Rather than serving as an exhaustive bibliography of each subfield, this article aims to provide an integrative research framework that connects frontier scientific problems with enabling infrastructure, application scenarios, and long-range strategic planning.