Based on the '240' Conference held at the University of Chicago in September of 2012, this special volume ofThe Advances in Chemical Physics series celebrates scientific research contributions and careers of R. Stephen Berry, Stuart A. Rice and Joshua Jortner. In addition to continuing the chemical physics field with a forum for critical, authoritative evaluations of advances in the discipline,Volume 157explores the following topics: The Emergence and Breakdown of Complexity Dynamics at Extremes Grand Questions Regarding Biomolecular Homochirality in the Origin and Evolution of Life The book:

celebrates the scientific research contributions and careers of R. Stephen Berry, Stuart A. Rice and Joshua Jortnercontributes to the only series available that presents the cutting edge of research in chemical physicsincludes contributions from experts in this field of researchstructured with an editorial framework that makes the book an excellent supplement to an advanced graduate class in physical chemistry or chemical physics

AARON R. DINNER received his bachelors degree and doctorate from Harvard University, after which he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford and the University of California, Berkeley. He joined the faculty at The University of Chicago in 2003.STUART A. RICE received his masters degree and doctorate from Harvard University and was a junior fellow at Harvard for two years before joining the faculty of The University of Chicago in 1957, where he is currently the Frank P. Hixon Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus.

Part I The Emergence and Breakdown of ComplexityFeatures of Complexity 3by Ronnie Kosloff

Exploring Quantum-Classical Boundary 19by Kenji Ohmori

Transition from Atoms to Clusters to Condensed Matter 25by Julius Jellinek

Free Energies of Staging a Scenario and Perpetual Motion Machines of the Third Kind 43by Peter Salamon, Bjarne Andresen, Karl Heinz Hoffmann, James D. Nulton, Anca M. Segall, and Forest L. Rohwer

Finite-Time Thermodynamics Tools to Analyze Dissipative Processes 57by Karl Heinz Hoffmann, Bjarne Andresen, and Peter Salamon

New Types of Complexity in Chemical Kinetics: Intersections, Coincidences, and Special Symmetrical Relationships 69by G. S. Yablonsky, D. Constales, and G. B. Marin

Opportunities in the Area of Noise in Biological Reaction Networks 75by Aaron R. Dinner

Thermodynamic Approach to Chemical Networks 85by G. Nicolis and C. Nicolis

On the Emergence of Simple Structures in Complex Phenomena: Concepts and Some Numerical Examples 97by Martin Quack

The Emergence of Simplicity from Complexity 119by John D. Weeks and John C. Tully

Part II Dynamics at Extremes

On the Way to a Theory of Solid State Synthesis: Issues and Open Questions 125by J. Christian Schön

Beyond Molecular Conduction: Optical and Thermal Effects in Molecular Junctions 135by Abraham Nitzan

Thermal Conductance at the Interface Between Molecules 159by David M. Leitner

Laser Energy Deposition in Nanodroplets and Nuclear Fusion Driven by Coulomb Explosion 165by Andreas Heidenreich

Understanding Ultraintense x-ray Interactions with Matter 183by Linda Young

Time-Dependent Computational Methods for Matter Under Extreme Conditions 195by Barry I. Schneider, Klaus R. Bartschat, Xiaoxu Guan, David Feder, and Lee A. Collins

Elementary Excitations in Ultracold Finite Systems 215by John Weiner

Part III Grand Questions

On Biomolecular Homochirality as a Quasi-Fossil of the Evolution of Life 249by Martin Quack

Origins of Life 293by Sydney Leach

Author Index 315

Subject Index 343