Phase Transitions in the Early Universe: Theory and Observations

I. The Early Universe.- Phase Transitions in the Early and the Present Universe: from the Big Bang to Heavy Ion Collisions 3.- Tsunami Inflation: Selfconsistent Quantum Dynamics.- String Driven Cosmology and its Predictions.- Quark-Gluon Plasma in the Early Universe.- Finite Temperature and Non-Equilibrium Phase Transitions in the Early Universe.- Phase Transitions During Inflation and Chemically Inhomogeneous Universe.- Chaos in Cosmology.- II. Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.- The Physics of CMB Anisotropies.- The Cosmic Microwave Background after Maxima and Boomerang.- III. Large Scale Structure, Dark Matter.- Large—scale Structure, Theory and Statistics.- Measuring Global Curvature and Cosmic Acceleration with Supernovae.- Recent Developments in the Search for Baryonic Dark Matter.- IV. Fractals and Scaling Laws in Astrophysics and Cosmology.- Complexity in Cosmology.- Statistical Mechanics of the Self-Gravitating Gas. Thermodynamic Limit, Phase Diagrams, Local Physical Magnitudes and Fractal Structures.- Phase Transitions and Galaxy Clustering.- The Ultimate Phase Transition.- V. Primordial and Astrophysical Black Holes.- Black Holes: Scatterers, Absorbers and Emitters of Particles.- Black Hole Astrophysics.- Black Hole Emission in String Theory and the String Phase of Black Holes.- Primordial Black Holes as a Probe of the Early Universe and a Varying Gravitational Constant.- Primordial Black Holes and Hot Matter.- VI High Energy And Neutrino Astrophysics.- The Curious Adventure of the Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays.- Challenges of the Highest Energy Events Observed.- In What Sense is the Energy Spectrum a Universal Property of Extreme Energy Cosmic Rays.- Physics of Charged Cosmic Rays with the AMS Experiment.- Cosmic Magnetic Fields.- VII The InternationalSpace Station.- Space Science Utilization of the International Space Station.- The Italian Role on the International Space Station.- Author Index.