  A high optical depth to gravitational microlensing towards the galactic bulge
is consistent with current models of the galactic bar. The low optical depth
towards the LMC can probably be accounted for by the ordinary stars in our
galaxy and in the LMC itself. No conclusive evidence is available yet for the
presence or absence of a large number of brown dwarfs or other non-stellar
compact objects which might account for the dark matter. There is little doubt
that the amount of mass in objects in the range 10^{-8} < M/M_sun < 10^6 will
be determined within the next few years with the continuing and expanding
searches.
  Billions of photometric measurements generated by the microlensing searches
have lead to the discovery of about 10^5 variable stars. In particular, a
number of detached eclipsing binaries were discovered in the galactic bulge, in
the LMC, and in the globular cluster Omega Centauri. The follow-up observations
of these binaries will allow the determination of accurate distances to all
these objects, as well as robust age determination of globular clusters.
