An example of a dry lab is one where computational or applied mathematical analyses are done on a computer-generated model to simulate a phenomenon in the physical realm.
[1] Examples of such phenomena include a molecule changing quantum states, the event horizon of a black hole or anything that otherwise might be impossible or too dangerous to observe under normal laboratory conditions.
As computing power has grown exponentially this approach to research, often referred to as in silico (as opposed to in vitro and in vivo), has amassed more attention, especially in the area of bioinformatics.
Although other techniques exists, such as ramachandran plotting and mass spectrometry, these alone generally do not lead to the full elucidation of protein structure or folding mechanisms.
Other physical phenomena, such as sound, properties of newly discovered or hypothetical compounds and quantum mechanics models have recently[when?]