Cosmic future of nuclear and particle physics

Abstract Astronomy and nuclear or particle physics are often considered as two opposite extremes, but in fact their common part is not empty and still enlarging. In this brief review we trace their common roots and we look for their common future. We predict that soon they will de facto merge in terms of phenomena being studied, theories used to describe them as well as experimental techniques. We gave several examples, devoting special attention to the "Pi of the Sky" project searching for optical flashes of astrophysical origin.