"The B36/S125 (or "2x2") cellular automaton is one that takes place on a 2D square lattice much like Conway's Game of Life. Although it exhibits high-level behaviour that is similar to Life, such as chaotic but eventually stable evolution and the existence of a natural diagonal glider, the individual objects that the rule contains generally look very different from their Life counterparts. In this article, a history of notable discoveries in the 2x2 rule is provided, and the fundamental patterns of the automaton are described. Some theoretical results are derived along the way, including a proof that the speed limits for diagonal and orthogonal spaceships in this rule are c/3 and c/2, respectively. A Margolus block cellular automaton that 2x2 emulates is investigated, and in particular a family of oscillators made up entirely of 2 x 2 blocks are analyzed and used to show that there exist oscillators with period 2^m(2^k - 1) for any integers m,k geq 1."

"We investigate the ray-length distributions for two different rectangular versions of Gilbert's tessellation. In the full rectangular version, lines extend either horizontally (with east- and west-growing rays) or vertically (north- and south-growing rays) from seed points which form a Poisson point process, each ray stopping when another ray is met. In the half rectangular version, east and south growing rays do not interact with west and north rays. For the half rectangular tessellation we compute analytically, via recursion, a series expansion for the ray-length distribution, whilst for the full rectangular version we develop an accurate simulation technique, based in part on the stopping-set theory of Zuyev, to accomplish the same. We demonstrate the remarkable fact that plots of the two distributions appear to be identical when the intensity of seeds in the half model is twice that in the full model. Our paper explores this coincidence mindful of the fact that, for one model, our results are from a simulation (with inherent sampling error).…"

"We review the observations and the basic laws describing the essential aspects of collective motion -- being one of the most common and spectacular manifestation of coordinated behavior. Our aim is to provide a balanced discussion of the various facets of this highly multidisciplinary field, including experiments, mathematical methods and models for simulations, so that readers with a variety of background could get both the basics and a broader, more detailed picture of the field. The observations we report on include systems consisting of units ranging from macromolecules through metallic rods and robots to groups of animals and people. Some emphasis is put on models that are simple and realistic enough to reproduce the numerous related observations and are useful for developing concepts for a better understanding of the complexity of systems consisting of many simultaneously moving entities. As such, these models allow the establishing of a few fundamental principles of flocking. In particular, it is demonstrated, that in spite of considerable differences, a number of deep analogies exist between equilibrium statistical physics systems and those made of self-propelled (in most cases living) units. In both cases only a few well defined macroscopic/collective states occur and the transitions between these states follow a similar scenario, involving discontinuity and algebraic divergences."

Many natural processes occur over characteristic spatial and temporal scales. This paper presents tools for (i) flexibly and scalably coarse-graining cellular automata and (ii) identifying which coarse-grainings express an automaton's dynamics well, and which express its dynamics badly. We apply the tools to investigate a range of examples in Conway's Game of Life and Hopfield networks and demonstrate that they capture some basic intuitions about emergent processes. Finally, we formalize the notion that a process is emergent if it is better expressed at a coarser granularity.

"Two different conceptions of emergence are reconciled as two instances of the phenomenon of detection. In the process of comparing these two conceptions, we find that the notions of complexity and detection allow us to form a unified definition of emergence that clearly delineates the role of the observer."

can I have some of these particles, please?

"The 'Primer' is a well-known Life pattern used to calculate prime numbers. The pattern expands in two directions, resembles a breeder, and emits a stream of spaceships representing prime numbers. The presence or absence of a spaceship at a particular generation indicates whether the number is prime or composite. It works by testing whether each integer is divisible by any smaller integer, apart from itself and 1. This is similar in principle to the Sieve of Eratosthenes."

"‘The law is built around cause and effect, but it’s bad at assessing systems, where each individual part is harmless but the whole might be harmful,’ he said. ‘It’s still in the age of automation, where the role of a human operator is well-defined.’"

"Dean Hickerson's original block-deleting 2c/3 termination almost certainly wasn't designed with this in mind, but it happens to absorb a double-length signal in exactly the same way as a standard signal -- the final stable state is the same in either case. This means that communication speeds approaching 2c/3 can be implemented over long distances in any direction, not just diagonally.

In the accompanying diagram, the input Herschel signal is circled in red. The output signal can be any of a number of optional glider outputs in the Herschel circuit at the bottom.

Two elbows in a row will not work (there's no known way to turn a double-length 2c/3 signal). But in the absence of layout constraints, a single elbow is sufficient to send a 2c/3 signal anywhere in the universe."

"The idea builds on an installation, called Bacterial Orchestra, the pair took in 2006 to Brazil, Germany, Norway and elsewhere. This year, the new generation, called Public Epidemic No.1 is spreading beyond the microphones and loudspeakers of the original installation.

Cornéer said the current project could be hosted on any mobile phone but they chose the iPhone “because it’s popular and the centralized App Store makes it easy for the epidemic to spread.”

Check out the clip from the first test of the project above and follow after the jump for more detail on how it works."

"Art of Hosting is not a method, even though it uses state-of-the-art (post-)modern social technologies that make a lot of sense and help turn that sense into effective action - if that is what the participants wish.

Art of Hosting is also not a group dynamic process, even though it touches upon and at times celebrates the wonderful feeling of community that any group using authentic human interactions will experience.

Art of Hosting most of all is the expression of a way of being, a way of life, a way of being with others and situations as they unfold. Hosting reality as the host in Rumi's poem "The Guest House" does, welcoming each person, feeling, concept and situation as it wishes to appear. And more - not only welcoming but actively and appreciatively inquiring into whatever seems to be important to one...."

"XP argues that for emergent design to work, you need to keep the code as simple as possible – no unnecessary complexity – and to refactor as you learn. It is also important, XP says, to program in pairs and to frequently switch who sits with whom, so that everyone on the team has spent time with each part of the system. Then everyone must be present in all meetings and work in an office space that encourages communication."

loving "GOD LOVES CONWAY BUT HATES WOLFRAM". Thank you!

The world wants to be uncanny and disturbing. I want it to be, and being of the world... I get to say. More of these. Now! With seven legs! And undulating cilia! But it needs more eyes.

The Goldilocks Point becomes public knowledge. Another of my consulting secrets revealed. Drat you, Kevin Kelly! You think too loud!

physical folksonomy

Bought a woodcut print of his, a dynamics visualization of emergent flocking at Art Fairs yesterday: "Solstice Flockmap". If you want to buy us a present, get us "Speaking in order to create" or "Ripple effect"

Bracing yourself doesn't count....

Great TDD kata from UncleBob. Unfortunate it's PowerPoint; would be nice if it were a PDF. But it's legible.