game of life rules
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The Game of Life, a cellular automaton devised by mathematician John Conway in 1970, unfolds on an infinite grid of square cells, each of which can be in one of two states: alive or dead. The evolution of the grid follows four simple yet profound rules that dictate whether a cell remains alive, becomes alive, or dies in each generation. First, any live cell with two or three live neighbors survives to the next generation, embodying a form of stability through moderate population density. Second, any dead cell with exactly three live neighbors becomes a live cell, representing reproduction driven by overcrowding in death or sufficient stimulation in life. Conversely, should a live cell possess fewer than two live neighbors, it dies from isolation; if it has more than three, it dies from overcrowding. Finally, any dead cell with fewer than three live neighbors remains dead, illustrating that neither underpopulation nor overpopulation fosters new life in isolation. These rules, applied simultaneously and in parallel to every cell, create emergent patterns ranging from stable structures to pulsating oscillators and complex, seemingly random formations, all arising from the elegant simplicity of binary interactions.
game of life rules (Understanding the Core Rules of the Game of Life) [YB2KD]
November 19, 2025 | game of life rules