Nanotubes are hollow cylinders consisting of "rolled-up" graphitic sheets. They form spontaneously in the same apparatus as the famed C60 molecule, and have been predicted and/or observed to have even more spectacular properties than C60, including extremely high strength and flexibility, ability to form nanoscale electronic devices consisting entirely of carbon, strong capillary effects leading to the production of exceptionally thin wires, cold cathode field emission, etc. This talk will provide an introduction and an overview of this fascinating field, as well as a review the recent progress in understanding the growth mechanisms and properties of nanotubes. Our results have correctly predicted that carbon nanotubes are the strongest materials known and have suggested avenues for forming nanoscale electronic devices solely by mechanical transformations. The salient points of the talk will be illustrated with short videos.