Abstract
The nuclear force is the heart of nuclear physics and, thus, the significance
of this force for all of nuclear physics can hardly be overstated. Research on
this crucial force has by now spanned eight decades and we are still not done.
I will first review the rich history of hope and desperation, which had
spin-off far beyond just nuclear physics. Next, I will present the current
status in the field which is charcterized by the application of an effective
field theory (EFT) that is believed to represent QCD in the low energy regime
typical for nuclear physics. During the past two decades, this EFT has become
the favorite vehicle to derive nuclear two- and many-body forces. Finally, I
will take a look into the future: What developments can we expect from the next
decades? Will the 30-year cycles of new and "better" ideas for efficiently
describing nuclear forces go on for ever, or is there hope for closure?
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