The standard form is shown below. It is also possible
for any ant to be displaced by one or two cells relative to either or
both of its neighbouring ants. Dean Hickerson found fenceposts for
both ends of this wick in October 1992 and February 1993. See
electric fence, and also wickstretcher.
Game of Life Explanation
The Game of Life is not your typical computer game. It is a cellular
automaton, and was invented by Cambridge mathematician John Conway.
This game became widely known when it was mentioned in an article
published by Scientific American in 1970. It consists of a grid of
cells which, based on a few mathematical rules, can live, die or
multiply. Depending on the initial conditions, the cells form various
patterns throughout the course of the game.
Rules
For a space that is populated:
Examples
Each cell with one or no neighbors dies, as if by solitude.
Each cell with four or more neighbors dies, as if by
overpopulation.