In these proceedings, it is shown that thermodynamical concepts are not ‘old fashioned’ but still are most useful at the frontiers of modern science. Among the contributors are well-known experts such as Andresen (Copenhagen), Eu (Montreal), Groβmann (Marburg), Kawasaki (Fuhuoha), Maugin (Paris), Nicolis (Bruxelles) and Szépfalusy (Budapest). The subject covers a wide field including: recent developments in phenomenological thermodynamics, statistical foundation of thermodynamical concepts, thermodynamical concepts in nonlinear dynamics, applications to nonlinear (neural) networks, stochastic theory and transition processes.Contents: Random Stresses in Potts Models of Disordered Plastic Crystals (A Güntzel et al.)Sensitivity to Initial Conditions in Complex Systems (G Nicolis et al.)Nonlinear Dynamics in Low-Dimensional Lattices: A Chemical Reaction Model (A Provata & J W Turner)Resonant Pair Nucleation in an Overdamped Sine-Gordon Chain (F Marchesoni)Finite-Time Optimization of Chemical Reactions and Connections to Thermodynamic Speed (J Ch Schön & B Andresen)A Variation Principle for Differential Transport Coefficients (M Ichiyanagi)Higher-Order Fluxes and Effective Relaxation Times in Extended Thermodynamics (D Jou)Projection Operators in Statistical Formulation of Nonlinear and Extended Thermodynamics (R E Nettleton)Thermodynamics of Light and Sound (I Müller)Entropy, Predictability and Historicity of Nonlinear Proceses (W Ebeling)Symmetry and Coherent Approximations in Non-Equilibrium Systems (M Suzuki)and other papersReadership: Statistical and thermodynamical working physicists.Key Features:Consists of standalone chapters written by prominent specialistsCovers the theory and models of fluorescence as well as of mechanical measurements on single moleculesServes as an introduction to the more specialized theoretical literatureAims at a broad audience of theorists and experimentalists, particularly those active in the life sciences