A Robot Named Adam

Two teams of researchers have created a machine that can do the work of scientists. This robot scientist can think up hypotheses and then proceed to test them by performing experiments. Scientists hope robots like this one will be useful when the experiment requires sifting through tens of thousands of compounds. The robot can quickly go through lots of data, helping find answers faster than when people perform experiments. This robot is the first example of a machine that has made an independent scientific discovery. It made a discovery about the genetic makeup of yeast.

Scientists are also hopeful that maybe someday they can send these robots into space to be able to do experiments there. They could send a robot to Mars and it could set up a scientific laboratory there, testing the soil and performing other experiments.

What are scientists calling their new robot? They have named it Adam. Their next robot will have much more brain power and will research new medicines. It will be called Eve!