This book presents recent results on experimental and theoretical studies of the interaction of heavy ions with nuclei at low and intermediate energies: the dynamics of fusion and decay of complex nuclear systems, the synthesis of superheavy elements, the synthesis and properties of exotic nuclei close to the proton and neutron driplines, nuclear fission, nuclear structure, and reactions with stable and radioactive ion beams. It also covers some aspects of applied physics research: track membranes and their applications, the use of polymers in medicine and electronics, production and application of radioisotopes for medical purposes, and environmental protection.

This volume provides up-to-date information on selected topics in nuclear physics and their future prospects. Topics discussed include nuclear astrophysics; synthesis of very heavy elements; physics with exotic nuclei; heavy ion collisions; spin-isospin excitation. This volume contains 47 papers by invited speakers and nine summaries by chairpersons.

Towards the close of the 20th century, the world's leading experts in theoretical and experimental physics review the major developments in their respective research areas, and present the prospects for the coming 21st century. The subjects covered in this volume are field theory, string theory, quantum cosmology, solid state physics, physics of complex systems, high energy physics, quark-gluon plasma, nuclear physics and observational cosmology.

The Second International Conference on Atomic and Nuclear Clusters '93 was orga nized in a joint effort by the 'Demokritos' National Center for Scientific Research, G. S. Anagnostatos (representing the atomic physics) and the Hahn-Meitner-Institut, W. von Oertzen (representing the nuclear physics). The subject of clusters - small aggregates of particles - is a topic of primary interest in both atomic and nuclear physics, and also in other fields like in the case of quark-structure of baryons and in cosmology. The interplay between atomic and nuclear physics is a particularly fascinating one because many concepts are common to both fields (quantal effects, shells, geometric structures, collective modes, fission etc. ) This conference was the second after the first one organized by Professor M. Brenner in Abo (Finland) in 1991. The general atmosphere of a joint forum for atomic and nuclear physicists was very fruitful and thus the decision to have a sequence of such meetings has been taken. A third one is planned in St. Petersburg (Russia) with Professor K. Gridnev (St. Petersburg) and Mme. Professor C. Bnkhignac (Orsay) as Chairpersons. The conference site, Fin\. on Santorini island (Greece), was a wonderful choice for a conference. It is small, which helps to keep people concentrated in a smaller community, it has a perfect convention center, the P. Nomikos Conference Center, and a very beautiful landscape formed by a large volcanic crater.