Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a technique that can be used to interfere reversibly with cortical processing. It creates a ‘virtual lesion’, which is relatively focal in space and time and can therefore be used to address questions beyond the scope of other techniques. In this article we select a few recent experiments that highlight the added value that TMS brings to some of the core areas of cognitive neuroscience: imagery, crossmodal processing, language, plasticity, awareness and memory