Auxon:
A self-replicating system of robots that reproduces exponentially until it reaches a critical threshold. In common usage this term can refer to either a collective of robots or to individual members thereof. Initially created to perform work in environments rendered uninhabitable by humans, over time auxons began to evolve and branch out to fill niches that were no longer filled by organic life. Today, they are studied by physicists, mathematicians, and population biologists alike.