In touch with atoms

Scanning tunneling microscopy appeared as a new method to deal with atoms, molecules, and nanometer-scale structures. It was the first of a growing family of local probes for imaging and measuring, which can serve at the same time as tools. Local probe methods have changed the way we perceive, think about, and treat atomic structures, and have brought about a new appreciation of mechanics. They play a central role for science and technology on the nanometer scale and sill allow us to build systems of the same complexity as used by nature, which has built life on nanofunctionality. [S0034-6861(99) 04402-5].