Daily briefing: Automated robot ‘scientists’ spark debate over the future of lab work

Nature

by Jacob Smith

February 20, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Automated lab robots controlled by artificial intelligence are sparking debates about their potential to replace human researchers in laboratory work. While some scientists argue that AI-driven systems could revolutionize biology by automating repetitive tasks like protein synthesis, others emphasize that human intuition and creativity remain essential for complex experiments. Current robotic systems excel at simple, well-defined procedures but struggle with tasks requiring dexterity or ambiguous outcomes. This raises questions about the future role of humans in scientific research. In another breakthrough, researchers discovered a giant virus that hijacks a host cell's protein-making machinery to replicate itself—a first-of-its-kind observation. The virus attaches a three-protein complex to ribosomes, giving its RNA priority access for replication. This finding provides new insights into viral evolution and how viruses exploit host systems, potentially offering targets for antiviral therapies. Meanwhile, venous sinuses in the brain, once considered passive drains, have been revealed as active regulators of blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid drainage. These large veins can stretch, constrict, and rearrange their borders to accommodate immune cells, a behavior described as "ruffling." This discovery challenges previous assumptions about brain vascular dynamics and could advance our understanding of neuroinflammation and neurological diseases. In a separate development, Microsoft researchers created a glass tile capable of storing 5 terabytes of data for at least 10,000 years. Using high-energy lasers to imprint deformations in borosilicate glass, they developed a storage system resistant to environmental factors like heat and moisture. Each layer of the glass contains voxels—tiny optical modifications—that encode data readable through microscopy. These advancements highlight the intersection of biology, technology, and neuroscience, offering both practical applications and fundamental scientific breakthroughs. From improving data archiving to unraveling viral replication strategies, these innovations underscore the ongoing transformation of science and its potential to address global challenges.

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Originally published on Nature on 2/20/2026