Evolutionary Trends in the Physical Sciences

Dr. Yoshio Nishina was a key figure in modem physics in Japan and a world pioneer in many fields of modem science such as nuclear physics, cosmic-ray physics, and radiobiology. He devoted his life to the development of science, so that his beloved country could compete with any other country in science and technology. Unfortunately, he died soon after the Second World War and did not witness the results of his great efforts. To commemorate the centennial of Dr. Nishina' s birth, a Nishina Centennial Symposium was held in Tokyo from December 5 to 7, 1990, under the co-sponsorship of the Nishina Memorial Foundation and RIKEN (the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research). The symposium was entitled Evolutionary Trends in the Physical Sciences. The title of the symposium was very broad and ambitious. Indeed, progress in physics over recent decades has been truly amazing, so much so that the present frontiers of physics extend far beyond the horizons we saw when we were young. Experiments in particle physics have revealed many new particles, and may eventually lead to the clarification of the ultimate structure of matter, though it is not known whether man will ever fully understand how natural forces are unified. At the same time, it is becoming more and more likely that the creation of the universe will finally be discovered by continuing the lines of research into physics that have been pursued over the past decades.