Any prophet venturing to predict the future of scientific research should remember that in this area the unexpected always happens. Spinoza distinguished between goodness and perfection.
Technological progress depends upon the creativity both of theorists and functional engineers.
A theorist creates a concept that remains an abstraction until the functional engineer decides how the new concept can be applied and then creates a design and finds the precise materials with which to construct a prototype. The model is then examined and tested until it is proved practical. Most of us are quick to be upset when anyone questions the validity of conclusions that we have always accepted as true, but we are afraid to inquire into the assumptions from which these conclusions are logically derived. The formula of newspaper success too often lies in the extraordinary and bizarre, in stories of calamity, of conflict, and of calumny. They are friendly and make good pets.