The mention of fewelectron atoms usually brings to mind hydrogen, helium or other light elements in neutral form. However, these simple atoms are part of a sequence of ions having the same number of electrons but different nuclear charges. For example, the hydrogenlike sequence spans neutral hydrogen through hydrogenlike uranium, [formula] Both the atomic physics and the applications of the most highly charged ions in such isoelectronic sequences are receiving increasing attention. Recently the electronbeam ion trap has made it possible to produce and study any such ion in a modestsized apparatus (figure 1). A small apparatus can produce any highly charged ionhydrogenlike or bare uranium, for examplemaking possible new tests of quantum electrodynamics and studies of surprising collision behavior at surfaces. © 1994, American Institute of Physics. All rights reserved.