Through the looking glass: probing the nucleus using accelerated radioactive beams

Through the advent of post-accelerated beams of radioactive nuclei, probing nuclear properties of exotic nuclear species is now possible. Recent results from the new European radioactive ion beam facilities will be presented together with the prospects offered by the planned facilities such as SPIRAL2 and HIE-ISOLDE. The current ideas for the "third generation" radioactive ion beam facility EURISOL will also be briefly presented.