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Conway's Game of Life

Run the Conway's Game of Life MicroSim Fullscreen

About This MicroSim

Conway's Game of Life is a classic example of cellular automata, created by mathematician John Conway in 1970. Despite having simple rules, it can produce remarkably complex and beautiful patterns.

The Rules

Each cell in the grid follows four simple rules:

  1. Underpopulation: Any live cell with fewer than 2 neighbors dies
  2. Survival: Any live cell with 2 or 3 neighbors survives
  3. Overpopulation: Any live cell with more than 3 neighbors dies
  4. Reproduction: Any dead cell with exactly 3 neighbors becomes alive

How to Use

  • Start/Pause: Begin or pause the simulation
  • Step: Advance the simulation by one generation
  • Reset: Create a new random initial state
  • Speed Slider: Control how fast the simulation runs
  • Click on Grid: Toggle individual cells on or off

Embedding This MicroSim

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<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/microsims/sims/conway-game-of-life/main.html"
        height="440px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no">
</iframe>

Learning Objectives

After using this MicroSim, you should be able to:

  • Explain the four rules of Conway's Game of Life
  • Understand how simple rules can create emergent complexity
  • Recognize common patterns like gliders, blinkers, and still lifes
  • Describe what cellular automata are and how they work

Famous Patterns

Try to create these patterns by clicking on the grid:

Pattern Description
Blinker 3 cells in a row that oscillate
Glider 5-cell pattern that moves diagonally
Block 2x2 square that stays still
Beehive 6-cell still life pattern

References