Birth, life and death of hot nuclei

''Intermediate energy heavy-ions (10-100 MeV/u) are the most powerful tool to study hot nuclear matter properties''. In this paper we give a review of experimental and theoretical works which support this statement. The first challenge is to achieve hot nuclei formation. The second one is to study their properties. The formation step is governed by the relative influence of nucleon-nucleon collisions and mean field effects. Fundamental quantities such as excited matter decay time, thermalization time, relaxation time for collective modes are of major importance and are compared with typical collision times. It appears that semi-classical theories are able to give a reasonable description of the collision and that they are a good guide for defining further experiments. We show how it has been possible to experimentally establish that very hot equilibrated nuclei are really formed. Their decay properties are not basically different from decay properties at lower bombarding energy. However specific channels are open: in that sense, we take stock of the multifragmentation process. Moreover, compression effects may be an important feature of this energy range. Future studies will involve heavier projectiles around 30-50 MeV/u. They will be the best probe for hot and compressed nuclear matter studies. (author)