If you listen to the show via podcast, then you might say it’s coming to you in silico. This computer science term means “performed on computer or by computer simulation.” It’s the equivalent of in vitro, or “in glass,” or in vivo, “in a living body,” used in biological experiments. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “In Silico”
If you’re listening to us on the air, you know that we are broadcast.
But Martha, if people are listening to us by podcast, we are in silico.
I beg your pardon?
We’re in silico. It’s the digital or computer equivalent of, say, in vitro.
You run computer simulations in silico to test them out.
They might be biological simulations, say, how will a cell react to a drug?
And you put in all your components and your magical software
Just kind of runs some trials for you without actually having live bacteria there.
How cool is that?
Interesting term, right?
Yeah, I like it.
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