In silico

In silico means "in computer" and is used to refer to things that happen on or in computers. Scientists often use computers to simulate things so they can get answers faster and sometimes the computers can do things that humans cannot. For example, a scientist might use a computer to simulate how a virus will spread through a population. This simulation can give them information about how to stop the virus from spreading. In silico can also be used to talk about using computers to look for patterns in data, or to design new drugs.