April 23, 2024 in the World

Working in the laboratory
Copyright: Alexander Raths, license: iStockphoto
World Laboratory Day takes place on April 23, 2024. It celebrates the place where great inventions emerge which helps to make the world better. A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed.

Labs used for scientific research take many forms because of the differing requirements of specialists in the various fields of science. A physics lab might contain a particle accelerator or vacuum chamber, while a metallurgy lab could have apparatus for casting or refining metals or for testing their strength. A chemist or biologist might use a wet laboratory, while a psychologist's lab might be a room with one-way mirrors and hidden cameras in which to observe behavior.

Scientific laboratories can be found in schools and universities, in industry, in government or military facilities, and even aboard ships and spacecraft. A laboratory might offer work space for just one to more than thirty researchers depending on its size and purpose.