The article by Jacob B. Khurgin discusses the challenges and prospects of plasmonics and metamaterials (P&M) in addressing metal losses, which are crucial for the practical applications of these technologies. Metal losses, particularly in the optical range, significantly limit the performance of P&M devices, such as nano-antennas and metamaterials. Despite advancements in nanofabrication, the choice of metals like silver and gold, which have high conductivity and reflectivity, still faces high absorption rates that hinder their effectiveness in high-efficiency applications like light sources, detectors, and solar cells. Khurgin outlines several strategies to mitigate metal losses, including using highly doped semiconductors, polar dielectrics in the Reststrahlen region, and optical gain media. However, each approach has its limitations. For instance, highly doped semiconductors are effective at mid-IR wavelengths but not at visible or near-IR wavelengths. Polar dielectrics, while offering lower losses, struggle with energy coupling to electromagnetic waves. Optical gain media, while promising, require high pumping densities that are difficult to achieve in practical devices. The author emphasizes that the key to advancing P&M is finding materials with lower losses. This involves a collaborative effort between condensed matter theorists, chemists, and growth specialists to synthesize negative permittivity materials with reduced losses. Khurgin concludes by suggesting that focusing on the mid-IR region, where losses are more manageable, and exploring novel materials with lower losses could be the most promising directions for future P&M research.The article by Jacob B. Khurgin discusses the challenges and prospects of plasmonics and metamaterials (P&M) in addressing metal losses, which are crucial for the practical applications of these technologies. Metal losses, particularly in the optical range, significantly limit the performance of P&M devices, such as nano-antennas and metamaterials. Despite advancements in nanofabrication, the choice of metals like silver and gold, which have high conductivity and reflectivity, still faces high absorption rates that hinder their effectiveness in high-efficiency applications like light sources, detectors, and solar cells. Khurgin outlines several strategies to mitigate metal losses, including using highly doped semiconductors, polar dielectrics in the Reststrahlen region, and optical gain media. However, each approach has its limitations. For instance, highly doped semiconductors are effective at mid-IR wavelengths but not at visible or near-IR wavelengths. Polar dielectrics, while offering lower losses, struggle with energy coupling to electromagnetic waves. Optical gain media, while promising, require high pumping densities that are difficult to achieve in practical devices. The author emphasizes that the key to advancing P&M is finding materials with lower losses. This involves a collaborative effort between condensed matter theorists, chemists, and growth specialists to synthesize negative permittivity materials with reduced losses. Khurgin concludes by suggesting that focusing on the mid-IR region, where losses are more manageable, and exploring novel materials with lower losses could be the most promising directions for future P&M research.