The new science engine In laboratories around the world, a transformation is quietly accelerating. Once powered by manual precision and human intuition, today’s research environments are evolving into autonomous, intelligent discovery systems. By merging robotics, artificial intelligence, and high-speed data infrastructure, labs are shifting from isolated experiments to continuous, closed-loop discovery, where machines not only assist but actively learn, adapt, and innovate alongside scientists. This shift is not about replacing researchers; it’s about amplifying human capability. Robots now handle repetitive or high-risk tasks with absolute consistency, while AI algorithms identify patterns invisible to the human eye, generating new hypotheses in...