VLT Science Highlights

Over eight years have passed since April first, 1999, when the UT1 of the VLT started regular scientific observations. These have been incredibly exciting years, with all the four VLT telescopes coming progressively into play, and its ten scientific instruments starting to deliver high quality data. I have been asked to start this timely meeting on how best use the VLT over the next ten years and beyond, by mentioning some of the most exciting results so far achieved with the VLT. So many and in so many disparate areas have been the outstanding VLT results, that it is a great embarrassment to be forced to make a choice. I have then decided to show one result for each of the ten VLT instruments, preferentially when the instrument was pushed to its limits. This exercise may show what fascinating science is just beyond such limits, and draw indications for possible upgrades or new VLT instruments. Inevitably, important instrument modes and science areas have been left out of this brief introductory review. The choice is certainly biased depending on my more or less direct experience, and focuses in particular on two areas, exoplanets and galaxy evolution at 1.4<z<3, where progress has been most spectacular in recent years.