Conway's Game of Life is a classic cellular automaton created by mathematician John Conway in 1970.
This Game of Life unfolds on an infinite two-dimensional grid, where every cell can exist in one of two states: alive or dead. The state of each cell evolves with every turn, known as a generation, based on the states of its eight surrounding neighbors. These neighbors include all adjacent cells—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
The starting pattern defines the first generation. The next generation emerges as the rules are applied simultaneously to every cell on the board, meaning births and deaths occur at the same time. These principles continue to shape subsequent generations. In each step, the future of a cell is governed by the following simple rules:
If a cell is alive, it will remain alive only if it has 2 or 3 living neighbors.
If a cell is dead, it can only come to life if it has exactly 3 living neighbors.
Naturally, many rule variations exist, offering different numeric combinations that dictate cell survival or death. Conway tested numerous alternatives before finalizing the original rules. Some variations lead to populations quickly dying out, while others encourage endless expansion, eventually consuming vast areas. The established rules closely straddle the edge between these two extremes—much like chaotic systems, the most fascinating and complex patterns often emerge from this delicate equilibrium, where explosive growth and extinction are held in balance.
