Several important reviews of shock tube kinetics have appeared earlier, prominent among them being 'Shock Tube Technique in Chemical Kinetics' by Belford and Strehlow [Ann Rev Phys Chem 20 (1969) 247], 'Chemical Reaction of Shock Waves' by Wagner [Proceedings of the Eighth International Shock Tube Symposium (1971) 4/1], 'Shock Tube and Shock Wave Research' by Bauer and Lewis [Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Shock Tubes and Waves (1977) 269], 'Shock Waves in Chemistry' edited by Assa Lifshitz [Shock Waves in Chemistry, 1981] and 'Shock Tube Techniques in Chemical Kinetics' by Wing Tsang and Assa Lifshitz [Annu Rev Phys Chem 41 (1990) 559]. A critical analysis of the different shock tube techniques, their limitations and suggestions to improve the accuracy of the data produced are contained in these reviews. The purpose of this article is to present the current status of kinetic research with emphasis on the diagnostic techniques. Selected studies on homogeneous and dispersed systems are presented to bring out the versatility of the shock tube technique. The use of the shock tube as high temperature wave reactor for gas phase material synthesis is also highlighted. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.