In the past five years the Laboratory for fundamental BioPhotonics (LBP) has worked on developing new technology that can access the molecular structure and nanoscale properties of buried aqueous interfaces and aqueous solutions. Using these methods a better understanding of the important role that water plays in (nanoscale and interfacial) processes can be obtained. These processes include the long-range interaction of ions with water, structural and charge anomalies of the hydrophobic/aqueous interface, the formation and stabilization of amphiphilic aqueous droplet interfaces, the formation and molecular properties of the electric double layer, as well as membrane structure and hydration. The result of our work on these themes is summarized for this special issue article.