incubating

Incubating is the act of maintaining a container or environment at controlled conditions to encourage development, growth, or survival of organisms, cultures, or ideas. The term is used in biology, microbiology, medicine, and business to describe a process in which an external environment is kept steady to support the activity within.

In biology, incubation refers to the period during which eggs are kept warm until hatching. This can occur naturally in nests or artificially in incubators. Incubation conditions include temperature, humidity, and, for eggs, periodic turning. Duration varies by species and can range from days to weeks.

In laboratories, incubators provide controlled temperature, humidity, and gas composition for growing bacteria, yeast, or mammalian cells. Temperatures commonly range from about 20 to 40 C depending on the organism; CO2 incubators maintain 5 to 10% CO2 for mammalian cell cultures. Sterile technique is essential.

The incubation period is the time between exposure to a pathogen and the onset of symptoms. It varies widely by disease; examples include influenza (about 1 to 4 days) and chickenpox (about 10 to 21 days).

In business, incubators support early-stage startups with workspace, mentorship, and access to funding or networks. They aim to increase survival and growth rates, often with programs lasting several months. Incubators are distinct from accelerators, which emphasize rapid growth over a shorter period.