SOME FACTS OF LIFE

Abstract

We study the statistics of the time evolution of the Game of Life. We recognize three different time regimes of which the most interesting one is the long time glider regime, which has properties typical of a critical state. We introduce mean field approximations able to give some insights on the time evolution of the density of living cells. Extended simulations are reported which deal with the evolution of the density, damage spreading and the measurements of a finite size exponent. A simple dynamical model explains some aspects of the asymptotic glider regime. We study also the dependence of the asymptotic density on the initial density both analytically and numerically.