This text is a concise modern introduction to the science of complex networks, and is based on lectures for university students and non-specialists. The author aims to introduce a reader without serious background in mathematics or physics to the world of networks. The lectures fill the existing gap between popular science books and comprehensive reference volumes on complex networks, and provide the shortest path to the world of networks, discussing the main directions of modern research in this active field, as well as the history of network studies. The text describes the current state of...