<p>This reprint focuses on recent aspects of gravitational theory and cosmology. It contains subjects of particular interest for modified gravity theories and applications to cosmology special attention is given to Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet f(R)-gravity anisotropic inflation extra dimension theories of gravity black holes dark energy Palatini gravity anisotropic spacetime Einstein-Finsler gravity off-diagonal cosmological solutions Hawking-temperature and scalar-tensor-vector theories.</p>