Abstract
Historically, nanoscience research has been centered around three classes of nanoscale building blocks based on their dimensionalities: C60 & quantum dot (0-dimensional, 0D), nanotube and nanowire (1D), graphene and 2D materials (2D). After almost three decades of active research, semiconductor nanowires have been established as one of the key building blocks in nanoscience and technology, with vibrant subfields including nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, thermoelectrics, energy conversion and storage. Here I present some of my personal reflections and perspective in this very active research field with a particular focus on the future development of nanowire nanolasers and nanowire photochemical diodes.