Ancient Science, Current Problems: Insight into the Vitality of Electrostatics Research Today

Electrostatics, though one of the oldest sciences, is also nowadays a dynamical and very wide research area. Static charge, well known for its destructive power when accumulating in storms and causing lightning, is now used in many systems as a mastered force to produce acoustic waves, to control aerodynamics, to filter pollution. Its control still remains a very important challenge in many systems, from spacecrafts, high voltage cables, to petro chemistry, and agriculture. We intend here only to highlight some aspects of this very rich and multiform science, without forgetting the great pioneers, Gilbert and Faraday.