A number of years ago a small group of investigators was torn apart by a debate over the existence or fate of somewhat obscure endosomal vesicles not even represented in text books. During the last decade, however, interest has shifted with the fireworks of newly discovered molecules involved in the regulation of protein transport. We are now entering the post‐genomic era, where individual components can be re‐assembled into functional, multiprotein cellular machines. Borders between disciplines in Life Sciences are fading away as our molecular understanding approaches atomic resolution. It is these exciting developments that were captured by the latest edition of the ESF conference series on endocytosis.