The book represents the proceedings of the 23rd edition of the Carpathian Summer School of Physics and was held in the Carpathian Mountains resort of Sinaia, Romania. It provides the reader with comprehensive reviews on topics in exotic nuclei, nuclear and particle astrophysics, cosmic rays and neutrino physics. Lectures at graduate student level on basic topics and most recent results in the field are presented in articles written by outstanding researchers from over the world. It treats phenomena from the smallest to largest scales in the Universe, from nuclei to stars. On one hand, the study of exotic nuclei is seeking answers about the structure and interaction of unique finite quantum mechanical many-body systems. On another hand, it provides data that have impact on the understanding of the origin of the elements in the Universe. Particular emphasis is given to the physics of neutrinos. The High Energy cosmic rays give access to phenomena we cannot reproduce on Earth and places we will never want to visit, but seek to understand. The book collects articles that offer insights on how experiments in the terrestrial nuclear physics laboratories can be combined with observations of the outer space to enlarge our basic knowledge.
