Thalience and transapient perspective

[Worldtree]

Interesting piece. I find the idea of automated science fascinating and a have often wondered if there will be a time in my life when a completely robotic team composes and tests a hypothesis. I have an amusing image of seeing a fully robot researched and written paper arrive on my desk and choosing that moment to start planning retirement :p

Here's an article about where we are in the timeline of automated science

http://m.cacm.acm.org/magazines/2012/5/1...y/fulltext

and two milestones that spell the small beginnings of that possibility.

The company Narrative Science has software that writes articles about your data.
http://narrativescience.com/
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/17/135471975/...s-reporter

Adam, created by British designers at Aberystwyth University in Wales
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/0...scientist/