Thread for basic questions

[dvgrn]

What is the rarest object that has been used in a transparent reaction? Is there anything rarer than transparent mango?

EDIT: Transparent eater 1

Mangoes and eaters are as rare as we've come up with for direct reappearances, I think.

Technically a bait object in something like a 2c/3 signal receiver or a spaceship Heisenburp is transparent, just with a slow engineered recovery instead of a direct immediate "natural" one. Some bait objects for 2c/3 receivers have been rarer than a mango or eater, though baits have been getting simpler lately. When someone finds a simpler bait, it often allows for a faster rebuild -- not surprisingly.

[I6_I6]

Is there a real definition for methuselahs? The Wiki page says there isn't but there are many different interpretations. What is generally accepted as the definition? Should we make a definition for it?

[dvgrn]

The definition of "methuselah" is the first sentence of the LifeWiki article.

Should we make a definition for it?

Nah... if dozens of people over the last fifty-odd years have tried to invent a universally accepted definition of "methuselah", and yet we're still in a situation where the LifeWiki says there isn't a universally accepted definition... then there's probably a reason for that.

[Resu]

Are there any c/5d wickstrechers for these wicks?

Code: Select all

x = 102, y = 48, rule = B3/S23
64b2o$60b2obo2bo$59bobobobo$58bo3b2o2b3o$57bob3o7bo$56bobo2b5obobo$55b
o2bo5bob3o$55b2ob2o2bo2bo$57bobob4ob3o$55b3obo2bo5bo$22b2o30bo4b2obo2b
obo$22bo31bobo2bobo2bo$23bobo29bobo2bobo4bobo$57bob2obobobo$22b3ob2o
29bo2bob2o5bobo$2o56b2o6bobo$o27b2o41bobo$bobo64bobo$30b2o41bobo$3bobo
64bobo$32b2o41bobo$5bobo64bobo$34b2o41bobo$7bobo64bobo$36b2o41bobo$9bo
bo64bobo$38b2o41bobo$11bobo64bobo$14bo25b2o41bobo$13b2o65bobo$42b2o41b
obo$48b2o32bobo$44b2obobo37bobo6b2o$84bobo5b2obo2bo$46bo2bo39bobobob2o
bo$48bo37bobo4bobo2bobo$48bo42bo2bobo2bobo$88bobo2bob2o4bo$87bo5bo2bob
3o$87b3ob4obobo$90bo2bo2b2ob2o$87b3obo5bo2bo$86bobob5o2bobo$86bo7b3obo
$87b3o2b2o3bo$90bobobobo$89bo2bob2o$90b2o!

[synperiplanar]

Are there any c/5d wickstrechers for these wicks?

Keith Amling made wickstretchers for the first two, not sure about the last:

Code: Select all

x = 336, y = 229, rule = B3/S23
81b2o$80bo2bo$79b2o2bo$79bo2b3o$76b2obo2b3o$75b2o5b2o$82b2o$75b2ob5o$
77b5o$73bo$70b2o2bo$70b2o3b2o$68bo3bo4bo$67b3o$65bo2bo4bo3bo$63b2o3bo
5bo$64bo2bobo11bo$63bo2b2ob5o3bob2obo$62bo3b2o3b4ob2o5bo$61bo5bob4o6b
2obo$61b2o4bob3obo5bob2o4bo$60bob2o3bob2o3bobo10b3o$60b3o20b3o3b2o$65b
o19bo3b2o$61bo27bo$63b2o22bobo$91bo$89bo$93bo6b3o$90b2obo5bo$94bobo2b
ob2o$95bobo$97b2o$96bobo6b2o$97b3obo3b2o$97b8obo$99bo4b2o$101bobo3b2o
$100bo2bo2bo2bo$101bo9b2o$102b4o3bo$103b2obo4bo$111bo$105bobo3b2o$111b
2o$113b2o2$113b3o$112b2o$112bo$113bob2o$112b2o6bo$112bob5obo$113b3o5b
o$114bo6bo$119bobo$121bo$121bo$120bob2o$120bo4b2o$121bo4b4o$123b2o2b3o
$126b2o2bo$126bobobo$125b6o$125bo3bo$124b2obo$127bo2bo$128bo2bo$135b2o
9b2o$129b3o2b3o8b2o$129bo3b2o2b2o4b2ob2o$131bobo4b3o2bobo$129b2o2bo4b
3o$140b2obo2b3o$141bob2o2b2o$146b3o$145bo2bob2o$145b3o2b2o$144bo2bo2b
2o$145bo3b2o$147b3o$148bobo$149bo$150bo$150b2o$150bobo$151bo2$150b3o$
150b3o$152b2o8bo$154bo6b2o$154b3o3bo$155b9obo$156bo2bo2bo3bo$103b2o57b
o3bo$29bo27bo4b2o38bo2bo62bo$25b2o3bo26b2o3bo2b2o19b2o6bo10bo$24b2obo
3bo21bo2bo3bo2b3o2bo2bo14b2obob6o3b2o64b2obo$24b4obo8b2o12b2ob3o2bo2b
o5bobo14b2obob2o3bo2bobob2o62bo$30bo3b2ob3o13b2obo8bo3bobobo9b2o9bo2b
o3bo65bo2bo$20b2o11b2o3bobo8bo3b5o8b3o12b2o9bo12bo62bobo$20b2o4b3o3b2o
8bobo3b4obo3bo2bo5bobo4b2o5bo3bo7bo5b3o3b4o61b3o$19bo2bo2bo2bo3bo8bo2b
4o2bo8bo14bo3bobo3bo5bob2o11bob2o61bobo$16b2obo2bo2bo20bo2bo3b3o16bo2b
5o9b2o11b2o2b2obo63bo$22bo9b6ob2obo3b3o5b2o15b2obo8bo6bo3b2o6b2o4bo62b
2o$14b2o3bo2bo9b4ob4ob2o4bo8bo16b4o3bo20bo68b3o$14b2o5bo13b4o2bobo13b
o21b2o24bo$15bob5o22b2o36bo22b2o64bo2b3o$16bo65bo87bo6b2o$105b2obo61b
3obo$170bob3o$13b3o91b2o62b2o2bo5bo$13bo93b3o67bob3obo$11b2o95bo63bo13b
o$5b2o4bo96bo67b2o5bobob2o$5b3o3bo95b2ob2o61b2o16bo$3bo4bo101b2o67b2o
7bo3bo$3bo3bo102b3o6b2o66bobo2bob2o$7bo105bo4b2obo64b3o3bo3bo$2b2obob
o103bobo2bob2o66bobo2bo4b3o$2o5bo103bo2bobo3b3o67bob2o2bo$2o4b2o108bo
4bobo67bo8b4o$2b4o118bo66bo5b5o3bo$124bobo66b6o2bob2o2b3o$124bobo66bo
10bo5bo2b2o$125bo67bo7b3o3bo2bo7b3o$126bo74b2o4bo3b2ob2o5bo$125bob2o79b
o3b2obo3b3o$125bob2o81bobo5b2o2bo$127bo89bob4o$128b2o88b2obo$129bo89b
o$212bo24bo$130bobo78b2o23bobo$128b2o2bo76b2obobob3o12bo4bo2bo$128b5o
bo80bo3bo9bob3o2b2o$127bo2b2o2b2o73bobo2b2o12b2o3bo$126bo3bobobo74bo22b
obo5b2o$130bobobo92bo6bo4b3o$127b2o4b2o2b3o69bobo3bo3bobo4b2o4bob5o$132b
obo5b2o2bo64bob2o2b2obo2bo10b2obob2o4bob2o67bo$129b3o2b2ob3o2b3o62bob
o6bo2bob2o3b2o6bo8bo69b3o$136bo5b2o62b2ob2o3b2o4bo2bob2o15bo5b2o$145b
2ob3o57bo3bo9bobo17bob2o3bo61b5obo$148b4o56bo34b4o4b2o58b3o$144b2o4b3o
47bo43bo62bobo7bobo$144bo3bo2bo2b2o42b3o4b2obobo33b2o6bo53b2o2b3o$144b
4o2b2o3bo41b2o4b3o4bo33bo60bo6bob2o3bobo$146b2ob2o8b2o36bo5b2o3bo3bo31b
obob3o53bobo3bo3bo$150b4obo2bo2bo36b2o5bo6bo30b2obo8b2o46bo2bo3b2obob
o5bobo$150b2o3b2obo3b2obobo31bo3bob3o6bo28b2o2bobo2b2ob2o47b3o3b2o$149b
2o3b3o4bob3o34bobo5bo5bo31bobob4ob3o46b2o5b2obo8bobo$154b2o7bo5b4o3bo
bo21b3o5bo7bo30bo2bob2obob3o51bo$158b3obo2b2o7b3o20bob2o3bo11bo39bo54b
3o11bobo$166b4o4bo5bo15b3o5bo13bo35bo4bo43b3o6bo$169bo3b2obobo13b3obo
5b2o4bo9bo36b5o44bo7bob4o9bobo$176bobo11b2ob5o10bo11bo35bo4bo39b2o13b
2o$176bobo3bob2o2b2ob2ob2o6b2obobo12bo40bobo35b2o4bo8bobo12bobo$176bo
4bo2b3obo14bobobo14bo37bob2o35b2obo12b2o$180bo4b2obobo11b3ob3o13bo37b
ob2ob2obo43bo5bo12bobo$177bo24bobob3o15bo38bo5bo29bo10b3o6bo$201b2ob3o
17bo35bo5bo3bo26bo3bo6b2o4b2o2bo14bobo$204b3obo17bo34b2o5bo28bob4o4bo
4b4o18b2o$209bo16bo42b2o25b2o3bo5bo4bo2b2o$208b2o18bo44bo24bobo7b3o4b
2o$208b2o18bo42bobo3b2o20b2o11bo4bo$230bo46bobo16b2ob2o9bob3o2bo$208b
o21bo42bobo19bobob2o9bob3o$207bo2bo21bo43bo17bo2bob2o12bo$210bo21bo41b
o18bo2bo17bo2bo$205b2o27bo58b3o21b3o$204b2o28bo40b2o15bobo18b2obo3bo$
203b2o3b3o25bo38b6o11b2o$202b3o3b3o25bo37bo3b3o10bo2bo2bo16bo5bo$207b
2o29bo36b2ob2o12b2o2bobo15b3o$202b2o2b2ob2o27bo57bo2bo16bo$202b2o2b3o
31bo39b2o12b2o2b2o16bo3bo$204bo35bo38b2o12b2o4bo13bo6bo$242bo36b3o9bo
3bob3o12b2obobob2o$203bobo3bo32bo38bo11b2ob4o13bobobo2bo$203bob3o2b2o
32bo35bob2o6bo3b2o24b2o$206bo4b2o31bo36bobo7b2o2bo4bo19b2o$246bo35bob
o11bo3bo18b2ob2o$205bo40bo49bo27bo$205b3obo3bo34bo46b2o25bo2bo$207b4o
bo35bo45bo2bo23b2ob2o$208bo41bo42bo3bo22b5o$207bo42bo41bo5bo23bob3o$206b
2o44bo39bo2bob2o26b2o$205b2obo2bo40bo40b2o4bo20b3o$206bo2b2o43bo40bob
ob2obo$206bo4b2o39bo48bo$209bo41bo3b2o40bo4bo19b2o$207b2o2b2o38b2obo41b
o21b3ob2o$206bo2bobo2b2o81bo20bobo$206b2obo108bobo$206b2o3bo3bo82b3o19b
2o$212b3o83b2ob2o16b3o$204b2o92bo22bo$204b2o9b2o81bo21b3o$204b2o11bob
2o2bo77bo20bo$201b3o11b2o2b4obo72bo2bo18b5o$195b2o4b3o13b2obobo73b4o17b
2obo3b2o$195b2ob2o18bobo2bo71bo3bo20b2o2b3o$195b3obo18bobo74bo2bo17bo
4bo$195bo4bo21bo73bobobo15bo6bo$192b3o2bo2bo19b3o76bo17bo2b6o$192b2o3b
o2bo21b3o96bo3bo$191bob4o121b2o3bo$191bo7bo23bo94bo4bo$192bo5bo26b2o90b
obob2o$226bo89bo2b2o$317b4o$224bo91b2o2bo2bo$223b2o90b2o$223bo90bo2bo
$221b2o90bo2bo$215bobo2b2o90bo$214b2obo88b3o2b2obo$214bo3bo86bo3b3obo
$217b2o86bo2bob2o$212b3o2b2o85bobob4o$211b2o4b2o84bobobo2b3o$210bo6b2o
83bo5bo$210bo2b5o84bob4o$211b6o85bob3o$213b2o!

[Resu]

Why are so many names of patterns animals?

[Chris857]

Why are so many names of patterns animals?

I have to imagine that since it's the Game of Life, and a lot of those animal-named patterns are spaceships, they look kind of like animals crawling along and animals are "Life".

[Resu]

Is there a way to search soups like this?

Code: Select all

x = 32, y = 32, rule = B3/S23
16o$o14bo$o14bo$o3b2o4b2o3bo$o2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo$o2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo$o3b2o4b
2o3bo$o14bo$o14bo$o2b10o2bo$o2b4o8bo$o2b4o8bo$o3b2o9bo$o14bo$o14bo$16o
$16b16o$16bo14bo$16bo14bo$16bo3b2o4b2o3bo$16bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo$16bo2bo
2bo2bo2bo2bo$16bo3b2o4b2o3bo$16bo14bo$16bo14bo$16bo2b10o2bo$16bo8b4o2b
o$16bo8b4o2bo$16bo9b2o3bo$16bo14bo$16bo14bo$16b16o!

[PK22]

Is there a way to search soups like this?

Code: Select all

x = 32, y = 32, rule = B3/S23
16o$o14bo$o14bo$o3b2o4b2o3bo$o2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo$o2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo$o3b2o4b
2o3bo$o14bo$o14bo$o2b10o2bo$o2b4o8bo$o2b4o8bo$o3b2o9bo$o14bo$o14bo$16o
$16b16o$16bo14bo$16bo14bo$16bo3b2o4b2o3bo$16bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo$16bo2bo
2bo2bo2bo2bo$16bo3b2o4b2o3bo$16bo14bo$16bo14bo$16bo2b10o2bo$16bo8b4o2b
o$16bo8b4o2bo$16bo9b2o3bo$16bo14bo$16bo14bo$16b16o!

No, but I could probably hack apgsearch Py3 to add it as a symmetry in a matter of minutes. Why do you ask?

[Resu]

How can 33P3.1 be used as a catalyst?

[PK22]

How can 33P3.1 be used as a catalyst?

The boat can act as an eater head:

Code: Select all

x = 16, y = 12, rule = B3/S23
9bo$8bobo3bo$8bobo2bobo$bo7bo3bobo$2bo11bo$3o7b4o2$9b3o$12bo$5b2o3bob
o$5bo2bobobobo$6b2o5b2o!

[Resu]

What other oscillators have the eater/boat motif of 33P3.1?

[ThePlayzr]

What is the smallest c/2 spaceship that has not appeared naturally?
Also, are there any elementary c/7d and c/8d spaceships apart from the lobster, lobster with tagalong, lobster with pushalong, and the walrus?

[PK22]

What is the smallest c/2 spaceship that has not appeared naturally?
Also, are there any c/7d and c/8d spaceships apart from the lobster, lobster with tagalong, lobster with pushalong, and the walrus?

1). I think it would be a 7WSS or 8WSS escorted by lightweight spaceships, which has minimum population 31. All flotillas of two standard spaceships have occurred naturally.
2). Technically yes - the Speed Demonoid can be programmed to have any rational diagonal speed less than (but not equal to) c/4d.

[ThePlayzr]

What is the smallest c/2 spaceship that has not appeared naturally?
Also, are there any c/7d and c/8d spaceships apart from the lobster, lobster with tagalong, lobster with pushalong, and the walrus?

1). I think it would be a 7WSS or 8WSS escorted by lightweight spaceships, which has minimum population 31. All flotillas of two standard spaceships have occurred naturally.
2). Technically yes - the Speed Demonoid can be programmed to have any rational diagonal speed less than (but not equal to) c/4d.

ok, any elementary ones?

[hotcrystal0]

What's the original form of Achim's P144 that uses figure eights?

[Resu]

Is this a dot sparker?

Code: Select all

x = 39, y = 24, rule = LifeHistory
19.2A$17.D2BAB$17.4B$16.D3B$17.4B$17.2A2B$17.2BA2B$17.5B$16.7B$16.2A3B
2A$16.2A3B2A$16.B5AB$16.2BABA2B$18.3B$18.3A$19.B$3.D4.B2A2B6.B6.2B2AB
4.D$.D3BA3B3AB13.B3A3BA3BD$.4BA5B2ABA9.AB2A5BA4B$A5BA4BA2BA4.B4.A2BA4B
A5BA$2AB.7B2ABA9.AB2A7B.B2A$.B4.3B3AB13.B3A3B4.B$8.B2A2B4.D3.D4.2B2AB
$19.D!

[Haycat2009]

Is this a dot sparker?

Code: Select all

x = 39, y = 24, rule = LifeHistory
19.2A$17.D2BAB$17.4B$16.D3B$17.4B$17.2A2B$17.2BA2B$17.5B$16.7B$16.2A3B
2A$16.2A3B2A$16.B5AB$16.2BABA2B$18.3B$18.3A$19.B$3.D4.B2A2B6.B6.2B2AB
4.D$.D3BA3B3AB13.B3A3BA3BD$.4BA5B2ABA9.AB2A5BA4B$A5BA4BA2BA4.B4.A2BA4B
A5BA$2AB.7B2ABA9.AB2A7B.B2A$.B4.3B3AB13.B3A3B4.B$8.B2A2B4.D3.D4.2B2AB
$19.D!

Yes - and a middleweight sparker at that.

My question: Is Spark Coil a Pi hassler, given that the p3 is?

[Resu]

Can a glider gun be made with sparkers?

[hotcrystal0]

What’s the longest-lasting pattern with n cells for n=1 to n=7?

[hotdogPi]

Can a glider gun be made with sparkers?

Yes. p1564 example as LCM(68,46):

Code: Select all

x = 53, y = 26, rule = B3/S23
43b2obo$24b2o12b3o2b2o2bo3b2o$12b2o10b2o13b2o6bo3b2o$12b2o26b3o3b2o$
41bo3bo$10b4o11bo5bo$10bo2bo11bo5bo9bo3bo$40b3o3b2o$21b2o11b2o3b2o6bo
3b2o$38b3o2b2o2bo3b2o$bo23bo5bo11b2obo$b3o21bo5bo$4bo11b2o$3b2o12bo$
13b2ob2o$14bobo$15bo2$2b2o$bobo$bo$2o$19b2o$19bo$20b3o$22bo!

[I6_I6]

How can you add glider syntheses to catagolue object pages (after logging in)?

[PK22]

How can you add glider syntheses to catagolue object pages (after logging in)?

You do not need to log in. Just go to https://catagolue.hatsya.com/syntheses (or click 'Syntheses' in the links at the top of a Catagolue page), scroll down to the bottom, paste the RLE of your synthesis in the textbox, and click 'Post'. Syntheses are processed every 8-ish hours, so you might need to wait a bit. Also, your synthesis will only get added if it is cheaper than the current cheapest known synthesis, if one is known.

[I6_I6]

Great, thanks! Now I can add my discoveries to Catagolue.

[Haycat2009]

What’s the longest-lasting pattern with n cells for n=1 to n=7?

1. Dot
2. Domino/Duoplet
3. V spark?
4: Spark that turns to a croquet after 1 generation?
5: R-pentomino
6: R-pentomino related, converges with R-pentomino
7: Acorn