180th Anniversary of Ludwig Boltzmann

It was with the publication of the paper "Weitere Studien uber das ärmegleichgewicht unter Gasmolekulen" that, in 1872, Ludwig Boltzmann began the development of the kinetic theory by introducing the idea of monads in a modern key and by highlighting the necessity of employing statistical methods in physics. In this way, he paid great tribute to the scientific community, giving a significant role in advancing thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, impacting different fields of science and technology, including natural sciences such as biology, geology, astrophysics, and engineering, as well as social and economic sciences. Boltzmann is acknowledged as one of the creators of statistical physics. He introduced statistical aspects in transport theory, thermal equilibrium, and other connected subjects and conceived the H-theorem, pioneering, in this way, the logarithmic relation between entropy and probability and the fundamental interpretation of the entropy concept linked to the collection of possible microstates, summarized by the famous relation S=k ln W inscribed on his tombstone, considered one of the pillars at the foundation of statistical mechanics. To celebrate the 180-year anniversary of the birth of Ludwig Boltzmann, we present this Special Issue that aims to collect high-quality reviews and original research papers in statistical physics and related topics. Works focusing on the success and future challenges of the theoretical foundations and applications of statistical mechanics, as well as in machine learning, information theory, and, more in general, complex systems applications are welcome. Critical analyses and historical reviews on thermodynamics and statistical mechanics are also within the scope of this Special Issue.