ABSTRACT
Progress in solid state physics can actually be charted quite well by looking at improvements in computer and mobile phone technology. In some ways, research in the field of solid state physics can move forward relatively slowly, and it certainly lacks the glamour that, say, the discovery of a new subatomic particle or a new exoplanet brings. But when solid state physics does produce an important result, the seemingly small step can have a major influence on all our lives. Important as all these developments have been, there are many other areas in which solid state physics has already made a significant impact on our lives, and in which huge improvements may only be a short time away. It is hard to predict what breakthroughs solid state physics will produce in the next few decades, but one thing seems certain.
