An earthquake (EQ) is probably the most disastrous natural phenomenon. The depth toll from large EQs during the last century exceeded two million people. The corresponding geography of the most damaging EQs included 25 countries. The top ten of those were Iran, China, Turkey, Japan, India, Italy, the former USSR, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and the others were Chile, Algeria, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, The Philippines, Nicaragua, Romania, Morocco, Mexico, Argentine, USA, Jamaica, Yugoslavia, and El Salvador. During the recent 10 years from 1995 to the beginning of 2006, more than 400,000 people were killed by EQ catastrophes. We were also extremely shocked by the serious hazard by a recent Sichuan EQ in China on May 12, 2008. The origin of an EQ is still poorly understood, but the problem of short-term EQ prediction is an urgent issue of human beings. For a rather long time, the scientific community has relied mainly on the traditional Earth science disciplines in solving this problem: seismology, tectonics, geodynamics, and so on. However, a conceptual breakdown took place in seismology about 15 years ago. It was discovered that conventional models of EQ preparation were not valid, and there appeared doubts as to the possibility of successful EQ prediction using purely seismic observations. Heterogeneity and nonlinearity in seismic processes in a state of so-called self-organized criticality, causing unpredictable behavior of a tectonically activated region after some time of consideration (the limited memory of the system), became understood. At the same time there emerged some ideas on new alternative field methods, with particular emphasis on radio-physical sounding and even satellite observations. These gradually took the place of traditional studies on the quasi-steady electric and magnetic fields, resistivity, magneto-telluric impedance, and geodetic changes, which were found to be inefficient. By that stage, enthusiastic groups in several countries have already shown some evidence of seismo-electromagnetic phenomena. A new approach to study seismo-electromagnetic phenomena has recently emerged, and we call it Seismo-electromagnetics and related phenomena . This is a study of short-term processes of the EQ sequence by mainly non-seismic methods. This field has become firmly established since the early 1990s. It differs from its predecessor, which was known for a long time as the non-seismic precursors of EQs, both in methods and ideology. Modern technologies for observation of seismically induced perturbations and proper data processing are applied. First of all, these are radio-physical methods of atmospheric and ionospheric sounding by means of radio signals from VLF, LF, and HF transmitters. Pulsating ULF electromagnetic and seismo-acoustic emissions (the so-called ULF and acoustic foreshocks), and higher-frequency emissions on the ground and onboard plasma variations on low-orbital satellites, are then recorded. These data, together with closely related data on hydrology/geochemistry in wells and hot springs, satellite remote sensing of the ground surface, and atmospheric parameters, comprise the factual basis of the research. Two main problems are suggested as follows: (1) the mechanisms of strong intra-plate EQ triggering, and (2) lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling due to seismicity. There were at least three reasons for attracting our attention and enlarging the scope of this type of research. The first was the discovery of several intriguing observational facts. Among these, it is worth mentioning the approximately simultaneous finding of specific ultra-low-frequency (ULF) electromagnetic emissions before and after the large Loma Prieta EQ in the USA and the large Spitak EQ in the former USSR. The results in both countries looked very similar, and they were therefore convincing. Fraser-Smith et al. (1990) observed intensive ULF emissions practically above the hypocenter of the EQ, which was at a depth of about 10 km. They found the first enhancement two to three weeks before the EQ, and a second sharp increase just before the EQ. The geomagnetic activity before the EQ was very quiet, so they concluded that these ULF emissions were likely to be an EQ signature. A noticeable impact was also produced by the discovery of clear seismic-induced perturbations near the atmosphere-ionosphere boundary with the use of VLF transmitter signal sounding before the famous Kobe EQ in Japan. This effect was proven by subsequent statistics before eleven great EQs. Hayakawa et al. (1996) observed a very significant shift in the evening terminator time (the terminator time is defined as the time when there is a minimum in amplitude (or in phase) around sunrise or sunset) with the use of a 2s criterion, when s is the monthly standard deviation. Similar phenomena were also observed for many other EQs. The second reason was that the Japanese government established special research programs to investigate short-term (at least) EQ forecasting after the shock and sorrow following the great Kobe EQ. This was driven by a general demand from the Japanese people for warnings of such disastrous events. These programs included the Frontier/RIKEN and Frontier/NASDA projects, which investigated electromagnetic and some other effects associated with seismicity. Many valuable results were obtained, and two networks of ULF and VLF stations in Japan were developed. However, it was perhaps most important that these projects promoted an international consolidation of the research on seismo-electromagnetics. Special symposia in Chofu, Tokyo, were attended by specialists from about 20 countries (see the comprehensive collection of papers edited by Hayakawa and Fujinawa (1994), by Hayakawa (1999), and by Hayakawa and Molchanov (2002)). Similar research projects followed in Taiwan, India, Italy, and Russia. In the framework of a Japanese-Russian collaboration, a special station Karymshino, was established in the Kamchatka peninsula (in far-eastern Russia). It is designed for regular complex monitoring (including local seismicity, ULF electric and magnetic field variations, seismo-acoustic emission, VLF transmitter signals, hydrology and geochemistry changes in the wells and springs, and atmospheric parameters), in addition to data on regional seismicity (27 stations). The station is situated in a rural place with low industrial interference, but with frequent seismicity. At present, it is considered as a reference station for Japanese networks. The third reason was the realization of an exclusive satellite mission, DEMETER, in France. The satellite was designed for the investigation of electromagnetic effects related to EQs, and anthropogenic electromagnetic-wave influences on the ionosphere. Pre-seismic electromagnetic effects observed on satellites were first reported in Russia, and they were then intensively discussed during the preparation of DEMETER and in the framework of the Frontier/NASDA project in Japan. This pioneering satellite was at last launched on June 29, 2004, with the intension of studying seismically associated plasma and wave phenomena. Numerous data are now being analyzed by French specialists and guest investigators in different countries. Being extremely timely with these progresses in the field of seismo electromagnetics, I had a kind invitation from the publisher, Research Signpost, to edit a review monograph on our topic. I intended to cover all different branches of this new and challenging science field with the help of senior and qualified scientists. The authors of this monograph have done significant pioneering works in each field. Even though they have been so busy, they were pleased to join us in this book project. Without the pleasant helps by these authors, this book cannot be realized. The topic covers the radio emissions in the lithosphere, laboratory experiments, geochemical phenomena, radio emissions in the atmosphere, seismic-effects in the atmosphere and ionosphere, satellite observation of seismogenic phenomena, and the mechanisms of lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling etc. We do hope that this monograph would provide you with the present art-of-state information on seismo electromagnetics. Finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Ms. Yuki Togo for her editorial assistance.