I. Hargittai – författare

This volume is the fourth in the series and offers both quality and breadth. As a whole it reflects two increasingly discernible trends in modern structural chemistry. One trend is that parallel to the ever increasing specialization of techniques, there is a strong interaction between the techniques. This interaction crosses the boundaries between various experiments, between the experiments and computations, experiments and theory, and organic and inorganic chemistry. The other trend is the ever increasing penetration of the most modern aspects of structural chemistry the rest of chemistry, making the demarkation of structural chemistry increasingly fuzzy which is the most welcome development from a structural chemist''s point of view.

Crystal Symmetries is a timely account of the progress in the most diverse fields of crystallography. It presents a broad overview of the theory of symmetry and contains state of the art reports of its modern directions and applications to crystal physics and crystal properties. Geometry takes a special place in this treatise. Structural aspects of phase transitions, correlation of structure and properties, polytypism, modulated structures, and other topics are discussed. Applications of important techniques, such as X-ray crystallography, biophysical studies, EPR spectroscopy, crystal optics, and nuclear solid state physics, are represented. Contains 30 research and review papers.

Symmetry 2 aims to present an overview of the contemporary status of symmetry studies, particularly in the arts and sciences, emphasizing both its role and importance. Symmetry is not only one of the fundamental concepts in science, but is also possibly the best unifying concept between various branches of science, the arts and other human activities. Whereas symmetry has been considered important for centuries primarily for its aesthetic appeal, this century has witnessed a dramatic enhancement of its status as a cornerstone in the sciences. In addition to traditionally symmetry-oriented fields such as crystallography and spectroscopy, the concept has made headway in fields as varied as reaction chemistry, nuclear physics, and the study of the origin of the universe. The book was initiated in response to the success of the first volume, which not only received good reviews, but received the award for "The Best Single Issue of a Journal" by the Association of American Publishers for 1986. The second volume extends the application of symmetry to new fields, such as medical sciences and economics, as well as investigating further certain topics introduced in Symmetry. The book is extensively illustrated and with over 64 contributions from 16 countries presents an international overview of the nature and diversity of symmetry studies today.