Book excerpt: This special issue of Space Science Reviews contains selected papers on electromagnetic man-made and natural environmental interactions. Originally these papers were pre sented at the Fifth International Wrocfaw Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility. Wroclaw (Poland), 17-19 September, 1980, a biennial gathering of scientists and engineers. At that time, the symposium organizers selected a few persons of recognized authority and invited them to organize special sessions. Session organizers were given a free hand in the choice of topics and speakers. As a result, several impressive papers originated and a number of interesting people came to Wroclaw to discuss the recent results of their research. Professor Hiroshi Kikuchi from the Nihon University (J apan) was among them, serving as one of the most effective invited session chairmen/organizers at the symposium. The papers presented here were read at Prof. Kikuchi's session. At the symposium they received considerable attention not only because of the fascinating personalities and temperaments of the authors, but mainly because of the timeliness and soundness of their content. Their topic links both scientific and engineering fields in making attempts to resolve these kinds of specific hybrid problems. The problems discussed appear to be of interest not only to the EMC* community but also to a broader forum of persons interested in the areas of electrical and space science, and engineering in general. This opinion was confirmed during the URSI** symposium in Washington, D. C.