  The study of ultracold atomic Fermi gases is a rapidly exploding subject
which is defining new directions in condensed matter and atomic physics. Quite
generally what makes these gases so important is their remarkable tunability
and controllability. Using a Feshbach resonance one can tune the attractive
two-body interactions from weak to strong and thereby make a smooth crossover
from a BCS superfluid of Cooper pairs to a Bose-Einstein condensed superfluid.
Furthermore, one can tune the population of the two spin states, allowing
observation of exotic spin-polarized superfluids, such as the Fulde Ferrell
Larkin Ovchinnikov (FFLO) phase. A wide array of powerful characterization
tools, which often have direct condensed matter analogues, are available to the
experimenter. In this Chapter, we present a general review of the status of
these Fermi gases with the aim of communicating the excitement and great
potential of the field.
