Scientists last month unveiled the most exhaustive database yet of the proteins that form the building blocks of life, in a breakthrough where observers said would "fundamentally change biological research". Every cell in every living organism is triggered to perform its function by proteins that deliver constant instructions to maintain health and ward off infection. Unlike the genome -- the complete sequence of human genes that encode cellular life -- the human proteome is constantly changing in response to genetic instructions and environmental stimuli. Understanding how proteins operate -- the shape in which they end up, or "fold" into -- within cells has fascinated scientists for decades. But determining each protein's precise function through direct experimentation is painstaking.

Scientists on Thursday unveiled the most exhaustive database yet of the proteins that form the building blocks of life, in a breakthrough observers said would "fundamentally change biological research". Every cell in every living organism is triggered to perform its function by proteins that deliver constant instructions to maintain health and ward off infection. Unlike the genome -- the complete sequence of human genes that encode cellular life -- the human proteome is constantly changing in response to genetic instructions and environmental stimuli. Understanding how proteins operate -- the shape in which they end up, or "fold" into -- within cells has fascinated scientists for decades. But determining each protein's precise function through direct experimentation is painstaking.

The real robotics revolution is ready to begin. Many industries are reaching an inflection point at which, for the first time, an attractive return on investment is possible for replacing manual labor with machines on a wide scale. We project that growth in the global installed base of advanced robotics will accelerate from around 2 to 3 percent annually today to around 10 percent annually during the next decade as companies begin to see the economic benefits of robotics. In some industries, more than 40 percent of manufacturing tasks will be done by robots. This development will power dramatic gains in labor productivity in many industries around the world and lead to shifts in competitiveness among manufacturing economies as fast adopters reap significant gains.