"laboratories" in the noun sense
1. lab, laboratory, research lab, research laboratory, science lab, science laboratory
a workplace for the conduct of scientific research
2. testing ground, laboratory
a region resembling a laboratory inasmuch as it offers opportunities for observation and practice and experimentation
"the new nation is a testing ground for socioeconomic theories"
"Pakistan is a laboratory for studying the use of American troops to combat terrorism"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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