Part I: General topics -- Geothermal habitats and adaptations of thermophilic microbes -- Diversity of thermophilic prokaryotes -- Molecular basis for thermostability -- Cultivation techniques and molecular methods of identification of thermophilic, anaerobic bacteria -- Part II: Biochemistry and Physiology of thermophiles -- Physiology of chemoheterotrophic thermoanaerobes -- Part III: Biotechnological Applications -- Thermostable enzymes and their applications -- Production of biofuels by thermoanaerobic bacteria -- Production of fine chemicals by thermophilic, anaerobic bacteria -- Part IV: Future aspects -- Potential of anaerobic thermophiles and future prospects.