From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
- The Wikimedia Incubator is a wiki comprised of test articles for Encyclopedia Jr.
The word incubation (from the Latin incubare, "to lie upon") can mean the following:
Physical incubation:
- The term Avian incubation is applied to sitting on or brooding bird's eggs in order to hatch them.
- In chemistry or biochemistry, incubation refers to maintaining a system under specific conditions in order to promote a particular reaction.
- An incubation period in medicine means the time between being exposed to infection and showing first symptoms.
- Incubator (microbiology), refers to maintaining a bacterial culture at a particular temperature for a set length of time, in order to measure bacterial growth.
- An incubator for warming newborn infants. See Neonatal intensive care unit.
As a metaphor:
- In economics and management, incubation refers to the support provided by business incubators in the development phase of startups when entrepreneurs work on the launch of their companies.
Other:
- Incubation (ritual): the religious practice of sleeping in a sacred area with the intention of experiencing a divinely-inspired dream or cure.
- Incubation (computer game) is a computer game.
- Incubation (song) is a song by Joy Division, released on the B-side of the Komakino flexi-single in 1980, and on the Substance album in 1988.
- Incubator (band) is a German heavy metal band.
