I disagree, there aren't just a couple of nagging issues there are a myriad of issues of which this list (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unsolved_problems

I disagree, there aren't just a couple of nagging issues there are a myriad of issues of which this list (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unsolved_problems_in_physics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unsolved_problems_in_ph...) just covers the most publicised ones. You ask any specialist in any field if they feel they are running out of problems to tackle and they will just laugh at you. Any discovery we make tomorrow is just going to create more questions than answers. Though I do agree with your implication that we can't guess what the technologies the study of our universe will bring about, which is the greatest reason for funding basic research (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_research http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_research).