These proceedings survey the latest developments in a wide area of mathematical physics as presented by internationally renowned experts. The fields surveyed are High Energy Physics, String Theory, Relativity, Astrophysics, Cosmology, Plasma Physics and Formal Aspects of Mathematical Physics. Some of the exciting topics discussed in this volume are fundamental questions about black holes and string theory, supermassive black holes, string theory and the quantum structure of space-time, AdS space-time and holography, the cosmological constant, non-commutative geometry, quantum gravity,...

These proceedings cover the lectures delivered at the Fifth International Summer College on Physics and Contemporary Needs from June 16-July 4, 1980 at Nathiagali, one of the scenic hill resorts in the northern part of Pakistan. The college was organized by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and co-sponsored by the International Centre for Theroetical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy. It also received a financial grant from the University Grants Commission (UGC) for the participation of physicists from various universities in Pakistan. The college was attended by 22 lecturers and...