Since its first fabrication by exfoliation in 2014, phosphorene has been the focus of rapidly expanding research activities. The number of phosphorene publications has been increasing at a rate exceeding that of other two-dimensional materials. This tremendous level of excitement arises from the unique properties of phosphorene, including its puckered layer structure. With its widely tunable band gap, strong in-plane anisotropy, and high carrier mobility, phosphorene is at the center of numerous fundamental studies and applications spanning from electronic, optoelectronic, and spintronic devices to sensors, actuators, and thermoelectrics to energy conversion, and storage devices. Here, we review the most significant recent studies in the field of phosphorene research and technology. Our focus is on the synthesis and layer number determination, anisotropic properties, tuning of the band gap and related properties, strain engineering, and applications in electronics, thermoelectrics, and energy storage. The current needs and likely future research directions for phosphorene are also discussed. , there has been a quest for new two-dimensional (2D) materials aimed at fully exploring new fundamental phenomena stemming from quantum confinement and size effects. This quest has spurred new areas of research with rapid growth from both theoretical and experimental fronts aimed at technological advancements. Among recently discovered 2D materials, phosphorene is one of the most intriguing due to its exotic properties and numerous foreseeable applications.2 This review discusses recent advances in phosphorene research with special emphasis on: (i) fabrication and techniques for rapid identification of the number of layers; (ii) anisotropic behavior; (iii) band gap and property tuning; (iv) strain engineering and mechanical properties; (v) devices and applications; and (vi) future directions.2D materials composed of a single-atom-thick or a singlepolyhedral-thick layer can be grouped into diverse categories.