[1] Unlike science fiction, lab lit is generally set in some semblance of the real world, rather than a speculative or future one, and it deals with established scientific knowledge or plausible hypotheses.
According to an article in the New York Times, Prominent examples of lab lit include Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, Intuition by Allegra Goodman, Mendel's Dwarf by Simon Mawer, Real Life by Brandon Taylor, and Richard Powers' The Echo Maker and Generosity.
[4] Novels set in the past featuring fictionalized explorations of real-life scientists can also be considered lab lit; examples include Kepler by John Banville, The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevelier and Enigma by Robert Harris.
"[5] Mary Shelley's Frankenstein his often cited as an early precursor of this genre.,[6] but realistic portrayals of science in fiction were relatively rare throughout most of the twentieth century.
[7] The term began to appear in the cultural pages of science magazines during the first decade of the 21st century[8][9][10] and has been championed by such scientist novelists such as Carl Djerassi, Ann Lingard[11] and Jennifer Rohn.