hultquis@unc.UUCP (Jeffrey P. Hultquist) (10/10/85)
Consider the "game of life" (a common computer-based lava-lamp) Take a grid of bits, some on and some off. The set bits represent live germs, while the zero bits are dead space. Each location has four neighbors. Each second, germs which have less than two live neighbors die of exposure. Empty locations with three or more live neighbors experience a birth of new life at that location. Germs with four neighbors die of starvation. The usual result is that clusters of germs pulsate (sometimes very beatifully) until the pulsations fall into a cycle (possibly of length one!) or everything dies (a very boring cycle, also of length one). However; there exists at least one cluster which pulsates, then returns to its original configuration, but offset from its previous location. This is known as a "glider", since its glides across the surface of the board. Can anyone find this configuration? Also, there is a cluster which gives birth to an sequence of gliders. Can anyone find this so-called "glider gun"? Finally, can you find other clusters with curious properties? Sorry, I don't know either! --- Jeff Hultquist
gwyn@brl-tgr.ARPA (Doug Gwyn <gwyn>) (10/13/85)
How could anyone not know all about Conway's game of "life"? See "Wheels, Life, and Other Mathematical Amusements" by Martin Gardner, (c) 1983 W.H. Freeman & Co., ISBN 0-7167-1588-0 (cloth), ISBN 0-7167-1589-9 (paper).