This fourth edition of Boerner´s The Early Universe is practically a new book, not just an updated version. In particular, to meet the wishes of many readers, it is now organized so as to make it more useful as a textbook. Problem sections are appended, too. In the center are the connections between particle physics and cosmology: the standard model, some basic implications of quantum field theory, and the questions of structure formation. A special feature of the book is the comparison of theoretical predictions with observations, separating "facts from fiction". Special emphasis is given to the observed anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background and the consequences drawn for cosmology and for the structure formation models. Nuclear and particle physicists and astrophysicists, researchers and teachers as well as graduate students will welcome this new edition of a classic text and reference.

The second workshop on High Energy Astrophysics of the Ma..x-Planck-Society and the Academia Sinica was held at Ringberg Castle near Tegernsee during the week July 12-July 17, 1987. It is the purpose of these workshops to en courage the exchange of ideas between German and Chinese astrophysicists (scientists from other countries are also welcome, of course), and the pleas ant atmosphere and surroundings of Ringberg Castle certainly helped the development of relaxed and stimulating discussions. In addition, we seemed to have picked out the one week of perfect weather during a rainy summer. Thanks are due to Mr. Hormann and his staff for creating a perfect infra structure. The proceedings have required a considerable amount of editing, and I hope that all the papers are comprehensible. Thanks are due to Miss Petra Berkemeyer and Miss Hannelore Muller, who patiently retyped several manu scripts and helped with other editing jobs. I did not feel that a sharp refer eeing procedure should be done, although I do not agree with all the papers in this volume. The interested reader will find that this book gives a fair account of the present status of Chinese activities in the field of high energy astrophysics, i.e. in supernova physics, accretion onto compact objects, active galaxies, and cosmology."

The world as it is viewed from modern physics and cosmology has many strange and unexpected features. Often these are in stark contrast with our everyday experience or our preconceptions, such as the concept of space and time as finite and changeable. Nevertheless it is this strange world which is the fundamental basis of our existence. Therefore modern science also has a few things to say about the age-old questions: Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?

The author, an experienced scientist and teacher, presents the knowledge that we have about our worldfor non-experts. He takes us on a journey through cosmology and the quantum world of elementary particles. And he sketches the impact of the insights gained into philosophical assumptions and religious beliefs in these disciplines. In the end he asks the speculative question whether there is something beyond the limits of the natural sciences.

Alles uber die Grundlagen der Datenverarbeitung in Studium und Beruf. Das Buch ist locker geschrieben und setzt keinerlei Vorkenntnisse voraus.