Recent developments in the field of micro and nanophotonics have shown that it is possible to make use of the intrinsic disorder in photonic materials to create useful optical structures. An example is that of a random laser, in which laser action is obtained in disordered structures such as powders and porous glasses. Although these materials are easy to fabricate, it is only recently that researchers have started to fully understand the rich and complex physical processes that take place in amplifying disordered systems. Here, I will give an overview of the various recent results and discuss the physical picture that has now emerged. I will also discuss possible applications of this new type of disorder-based laser light source.