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Enormous theoretical and instrumental progress has been made in both static (SLS) and dynamic (DLS) light scattering as well as small-angle X-ray (SAXS) and neutron (SANS) scattering within the last few years. Here I shall give first a brief introduction, before I then demonstrate a few non-standard applications of the techniques to systems that are of particular interest in nanotechnology and materials sciences. Special emphasis is given to light scattering methods that allow access both to turbid and solid-like systems such as concentrated suspensions of polymer colloids, glasses or gels. In dynamic light scattering it is nowadays possible to cover an extended range of relaxation times from a few nanoseconds to minutes or hours. This opens up the possibility to use DLS for applications such as optical microrheology that allow us to obtain information about the viscoelastic properties of complex media.