First Self-Replicating Creature Spawned In Conway's Game of Life

Posted by Soulskill on Thursday June 17, 2010 @04:27AM from the emergent-gameplay dept.

Calopteryx writes "New Scientist has a story on a self-replicating entity which inhabits the mathematical universe known as the Game of Life. 'Dubbed Gemini, [Andrew Wade's] creature is made of two sets of identical structures, which sit at either end of the instruction tape. Each is a fraction of the size of the tape's length but, made up of two constructor arms and one "destructor," play a key role. Gemini's initial state contains three of these structures, plus a fourth that is incomplete. As the simulation progresses the incomplete structure begins to grow, while the structure at the start of the tape is demolished. The original Gemini continues to disassemble as the new one emerges, until after nearly 34 million generations, new life is born.'"

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Re:I thought someone had a glider gun... by dissy · 2010-06-17 05:14 · Score: 0, Redundant

Sort of like a vending machine that sells other vending machines?
No, it's more like the ATM Machine. The machine that makes ATMs!
You just go to the ATM Machine, put in your ATMM card, and withdraw a shiny new ATM.
As a bonus, from this ATM you can then withdraw money to use in your above vending machine machine, and various vending machines.
Re:Most impressive and important pattern? by Black+Parrot · 2010-06-17 08:48 · Score: 0, Redundant

Well, he did say "arguably", which is arguably the worst weasel word in the history of mankind.
Arguably.

--
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade