Here in this presentation we describe recent STM results on contacts with single molecule and other nanoscale objects. We demonstrate that contact formation can result in dramatic electronic and structural rearrangements of the molecule, ones which can transform initially uninteresting and electrically insulation molecules into potential candidates for molecular devices. We also demonstrate how it is possible to tailor the composition of the STM probe and how this leads to specific interactions between the probe and the target molecule. Starting for the far-field, we monitor the approach of the metal probe to the target molecules and monitor the motion of the molecule, including vibrational quenching, rehydridisation and bond formation. We describe the strengths and limitation of this approach and its potential to provide insights into both contact bond formation and chemical reaction dynamics.