Conway's Game of Life

Conway's Game of Life, better known simply as "The Game of Life" is a cellular automaton created in 1970 by the British mathematician John Conway. It is a fascinating example of how simple rules (see below) can create complex "behavior". Below is a Java applet I modified from Edwin Martin's version which can be found at http://www.bitstorm.org/gameoflife/. Be warned... it can be addictive!

Conways genetic laws are very simple.Note that each cell has eight neighboring cells. The rules are:

1. Cell Survives: Every counter with two or three neighboring counters survives for the next generation.
2. Cell Dies: Each counter with four or more neighbors dies (is removed) from overpopulation. Every counter with one neighbor or none dies from isolation.
3. Cell is Born: Each empty cell adjacent to exactly three neighbors is a birth cell.

Examples:

Grey cells die:

Red cells survive:

Green cell is born: