Maths, but not as you know it…
The first 3 articles from my Millennium Problems series have been published in Cambridge University’s Eureka Magazine – one of the oldest recreational mathematics magazines in the world, with authors including: Nobel Laureate Paul Dirac, Fields Medallist Timothy Gowers, as well as Martin Gardner, Stephen Hawking, Paul Erdös, John Conway, Roger Penrose and Ian Stewart. To say I’m excited would be an understatement… (pages 82-84 in case you’re interested).
The simple mathematical game that inspired the pattern on the facade at Cambridge North station – live interview with BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.
Examples (image credits: Wikipedia)
Stable ‘still-life’ patterns that remain fixed for every turn.
Block Beehive Boat Loaf Tub
‘Oscillators’ that cycle through a number of designs repeating every few turns.
Beacon (period 2) Blinker (period 2) Toad (period 2)
Pulsar (period 3) Pentadecathlon (period 15)
Spaceships that travel across the board forever.
Glider Lightweight Spaceship
You can play the game of life for yourself online here.
