This series of books arises from lectures given under the auspices of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei through a grant from IBM Italia. The lectures, given by international authorities, will range on scientific topics from mathematics and physics through to biology and economics. The books are intended for a broad audience of graduate students and faculty members, and are meant to provide a 'mise au point' for the subject they deal with. The symbol of the Accademia, the lynx, is noted for its sharp-sightedness; the volumes in the series will be penetrating studies of scientific topics of contemporary interest.