Thread For Your Accidental Discoveries

[XmikeX]

This is my first post to this forum. I greet you all and thank you warmly for your discourse.

My interest in Life is mostly aesthetic. I've found it useful when producing software on ancient hardware.
Ages ago, after sifting through debris (+ minor bit twiddling) to find visually-appealing precursors of known spaceships, I assembled this:

Pattern 1

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# Four Birds and Two Stones.  XmX - C-64 sprite 20x20; 24x21max
x = 20, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
2bo7bo3bo$2bo8b6o$2b2o6b4ob3o$3b3o5bob4ob2o$3b3o11bo$2b3obo$5b2o2$17bo
$o10bob4ob2o$3o7b4ob3o$3bo7b6o$o2bo6bo3bo$b2o$b2o$o2bo10bo$o10b6o$2b2o
6b4ob3o$11bob4ob2o$17bo!

Yielding three(?) MWSS ***, one LWSS, and two gliders. This was good for some laughs.

But then, a few bits later...

Pattern 2

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# Four Birds and Two Stones.  XmX - C-64 sprite 20x20; 24x21max - accidental methuselah1
x = 20, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
2bo7bo3bo$2bo8b6o$2b2o6b4ob3o$3b3o5bob4ob2o$3b3o11bo$2b3obo$5b2o2$17bo
$o10bob4ob2o$3o4bo2b4ob3o$3bo3bo3b6o$o2bo2b2o2bo3bo$b2o4bo$b2o5bo$o2bo
10bo$o10b6o$2b2o6b4ob3o$11bob4ob2o$17bo!

Wow! Just over 14k generations.... seemed very impressive at the time.

As with the soup search, these patterns fit within a 20x20 box.

XmX

*** Counting from top to bottom, regarding the top two "MWSS" that emerge from the pattern : Given how these "MWSS" interact in one phase, are they considered to be truly independent MWSS or something else at that point? What is the proper terminology/characterization for this interaction?
EDIT: ah, answer is MWSS on MWSS - "a single spatially-connected object" .. thank you, Google.

[p46beth]

The top-right object in your second pattern does not affect the others. Removing that it still lasts for 14k generations but has only 83 starting cells:

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x = 20, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
2bo$2bo$2b2o$3b3o$3b3o$2b3obo$5b2o2$17bo$o10bob4ob2o$3o4bo2b4ob3o$3bo
3bo3b6o$o2bo2b2o2bo3bo$b2o4bo$b2o5bo$o2bo10bo$o10b6o$2b2o6b4ob3o$11bob
4ob2o$17bo!

[Extrementhusiast]

Of course, there is also this 50-cell reduction:

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x = 16, y = 16, rule = B3/S23
6bo$bob3o$2b6o4$o10bobo$3o4bo2b6o$3bo3bo3b3o$o2bo2b2o2bo$b2o4bo$b2o5bo
$o2bo$o9bobo$2b2o6b2o$11bo!

[XmikeX]

At "only" ~14k, I did not think anyone would bother simplifying the methuselah I submitted earlier.

Fortunately, soup search is spitting out some funky ones to play with:

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# Methuselah_27020 - Found by daspuner on October 14, 2010, using Nathaniel Johnston's Soup Search + Golly
x = 20, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
ob2obo4b3ob2o2bo$5b2obo3b6obo$b2o4b3ob3o2bob2o$o3bob2o3bo2bo2b2o$2obobob2o5bo$b4o3bob2obo5bo$obo2b2ob2obo3bo$4bobo3bo2b4ob2o$2b2o2b2ob2o4bo$bo2bob2o6b2obobo$o4b4obob2o2b2o$5b2o4b3o4bo$bo6bob2obo5bo$o4bob2ob2o2bobo$2obobo2b2o2bo$o4b2o4b3ob2o2bo$3bobob3ob2o$b2obo3b2ob3ob4o$2bo3bo6b2o$3o2bo8bo!

gives a naturally-arising 27-cell version a few generations later:

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x = 19, y = 35, rule = B3/S23
bo$obo$obo$bo3$17bo$16bobo$16bobo$7bo9bo$7b2o$6b2o13$4b2o$4b2o6$3bo$2bobo$2bobo$3bo!

a tiny amount of re-engineering and we get a 17-cell version:

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x = 20, y = 33, rule = B3/S23
ob2o$2bo5$16bob2o$18bo$8bo$8b2o$7b2o21$2bob2o$4bo!

Am I missing something? Can this be condensed further? =)

Cheers,
XmX

[Sokwe]

Can this be condensed further?

The lifespan can be increased by two generations using a five-cell grandparent of the R-pentomino (also note that alternate beehive predecessors were used to obtain a smaller initial bounding box):

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x = 17, y = 33, rule = B3/S23
2o$o$o4$15b2o$4bo11bo$4bo11bo$5b3o22$2b2o$b2o!

Although interesting, this pattern is not nearly as spectacular as a few other recently discovered methuselahs:

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#C 16-cell 29937-generation methuselah
x = 23, y = 21, rule = B3/S23
o$2o10b3o$o10bo2bo7$8bo$8b2o$8bo7$22bo$22bo$22bo!

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#C 15-cell 32829-generation methuselah
x = 23, y = 31, rule = B3/S23
3o20$3bo$3bo$3bo5$20b3o$9b3o10bo$22bo$21bo!

Also, discussion of patterns found by Nathaniel's soup search should really be posted in this topic.

[Extrementhusiast]

Unique way for an eater to eat something (I've never seen it done this way):

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x = 9, y = 18, rule = B3/S23
8bo$6b3o$5bo$5b2o2$2b3o2$2bobo$2bobo$bob2o$o2bobo$o6bo$2bobo2bo$3b2obo
$3bobo$3bobo2$3b3o!

[Lewis]

More soups:

Cloverleaf P4:

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x = 20, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
b5o2bob3obo4bo$bo2b5o2b2o2b4o$b3o2b2ob2obob2o$bo2b2obob3o5bo$3ob2ob2o
3bo3b2o$3bo2bob2o3b2obob2o$3obob3obo2bo3bo$obo2bob2obo4bobo$b3obo2b4ob
4ob2o$2ob2o2bo2b3o3bob2o$o2b3ob3obobo2bo$2ob2ob4o3bobo3bo$3o3bobo2bo2b
obobo$6ob2o3bo5bo$2obobo6bobobob2o$o3bob2o6b2o2b2o$4bobobo2bo2bo4bo$bo
b4obob7o2bo$4bo3bob2o6bo$2b5ob2o2bo3b3o!

Unnamed symmetrical 31-Cell Still Life:

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x = 20, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
ob3obobo3bo2bobobo$o2bo4bobob3obo$o6b2ob2ob7o$4ob2ob2o3bob2obo$2b4ob2o
b2o2bobob2o$3b2ob3o3b4ob2o$b2obob2obob2o2b3obo$o3bobo2bo2b5o2bo$2ob2ob
5o5b4o$b2o3b4ob4ob3o$o2bo2b5obo3bo2bo$bobo2bobob3o4bo$bo3b3obo4bo3bo$
4o3b2ob2obobobo$3b3obo2b4ob2o2bo$3obo5bob2o3bobo$bo2bo2bob4ob2o2bo$bob
5o2b2o3bob2o$2b2obo6bob3o$2bo3b3obo2bob4o!

[hkoenig]

The 31-bit object can be constructed by 7 Gliders:

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x=16, y=16
7bo$6bo$6b3o2$2b3o2$o5bo$o5bo$o5bo2$2b3o2$15bo$4bo9b2o$3b2o8b2o$3bobo8b2o!

(2 for the Traffic Lights, 1 to remove Blinker, 1 to convert to Loaf, 2 to make B-Heptomino and 1 to remove Block)

The Cloverleaf looks like a good candidate, too, as a close predecessor consists of two R-Pentominoes and some other stuff, but I didn't look further. Here's the relevant parts at 2825:

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x=14, y=34
5b2o$5b2o5b2o$12b2o5$13bo$13bo$13bo3$11b3o4$10bo$9bobo$9bo2bo$10b2o2$9b2o$9b
2o5$3b2o$2bo2bo$3bobo$4bo$o$o$o!

with an interesting parent 75 gens later:

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x=9, y=9
bobobobo$2b2ob2o$3b3o3$bo5bo$b2o3b2o$o2bobo2bo$b2o3b2o!

I don't have any record of any construction for this, either.

[Extrementhusiast]

Here is the associated 17-glider Cloverleaf synthesis:

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x = 94, y = 123, rule = B3/S23
88bo$87bo$87b3o36$obo$b2o14bo$bo16bo5bo$16b3o3bobo$23b2o9$42bo$41bo$
41b3o$33bo$31bobo$32b2o3$9bo$10bo$8b3o8$53b2o$13b3o37bobo$15bo37bo$14b
o29b2o$43b2o$35bo9bo$35b2o$34bobo9$46b2o$46bobo$46bo$19b2o$18bobo$20bo
2$32b2o$32bobo$32bo$22b3o$24bo$23bo5$53b2o$53bobo$53bo16$91b2o$91bobo$
91bo!

[Sokwe]

This actually allows a 7-glider synthesis of Achim's p4 (cloverleaf), which beats the previously known 8-glider synthesis found by Jason Summers in 2004:

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x = 25, y = 49, rule = B3/S23
23bo$22bo$22b3o10$14bo$13bo$13b3o$9bo$10bo$8b3o10$13b2o$12b2o$14bo$5b
3o$7bo$6bo10$bo$b2o$obo2$19b3o$19bo$20bo!

for those curious, here's the 8-glider synthesis:

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x = 23, y = 24, rule = B3/S23
obo$b2o$bo$21bo$20bo$8bo11b3o$6bobo$7b2o3$6bo$7b2o$6b2o$b3o$3bo$2bo4$
5bo$5b2o5b2o$4bobo5bobo3b2o$12bo5bobo$18bo!

Also, It seems the 31-cell still life should be constructable with only six gliders. It is essentially created by two copies of the same reaction. I know of a 3-glider synthesis that works one time, but would obviously fail the second time:

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x = 45, y = 18, rule = B3/S23
2bo$2bobo$2b2o3$2bo$2bobo$2b2o2$o37bo5bo$b2o35bo5bo$2o36bo5bo$41bo$20b
o19b3o$19b3o17bo3bo$18bo3bo17bobo$19bobo18bo2bo$19bo2bo!

[p46beth]

A straight line of 45 cells results in an unusual 28 cell still life:

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x = 45, y = 1, rule = B3/S23
45o!

[Extrementhusiast]

A straight line of 45 cells results in an unusual 28 cell still life:

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x = 45, y = 1, rule = B3/S23
45o!

That's actually a pseudo still life, as it simply contains two pairs of bookends which would not do anything different if the other pair was removed. (Mind you, you have to remove the right pair.) Anyway, it could be formed by two colliding Twin Bee Shuttles. I've constructed a synthesis using ten gliders:

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x = 57, y = 17, rule = B3/S23
2bo16bo17bo16bo$obo15bo19bo15bobo$b2o8bo6b3o15b3o6bo8b2o$12b2o29b2o$
11b2o31b2o8$11b2o31b2o$12b2o29b2o$11bo6b3o15b3o6bo$18bo19bo$19bo17bo!

EDIT: I just noticed this related reaction:

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x = 32, y = 22, rule = B3/S23
29bo$29bobo$29b2o11$b2ob2o$2bobo$obobobo$2o3b2o2$2o3b2o$obobobo$2bobo$
b2ob2o!

[p46beth]

Yea, I meant to type pseudo, I just made a typo and left it out

[Extrementhusiast]

Yea, I meant to type pseudo, I just made a typo and left it out

Ah, no worries. People do make mistakes.

[XmikeX]

A while back, I stumbled across an ancestor of this 13-cell little wonder. Sadly, I lost the original pattern.
Apologies if this pattern is old news to this forum:

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# The Podiatrist --- derived from lost ancestor found in debris
x = 19, y = 8, rule = B3/S23
2o$o2$18bo$15b4o$14bo3bo2$14b3o!

Cheers,
XmX

[Extrementhusiast]

Apologies if this pattern is old news to this forum:

Yes, that pattern is known, it is known as a glider-producing switch engine. I'm sorry if I made you feel bad.

[XmikeX]

Yes, that pattern is known, it is known as a glider-producing switch engine. I'm sorry if I made you feel bad.

Indeed, I am absolutely and completely devastated to receive an ID on this pattern......and for free!

Thanks again,
P.T. Barnum

[Extrementhusiast]

I found this:

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x = 22, y = 25, rule = B3/S23
16bo$15bo$15b3o7$2o$b2o$o5b2o$6bobo$6bo4$b2o14b2o$obo13b2o$2bo15bo3$
20bo$19b2o$19bobo!

[p46beth]

This is probably already known, but here is a lightspeed fuse that does not leave debris:

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x = 58, y = 5, rule = B3/S23
o2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo$58o$o$58o$o
2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo2bo!

[Extrementhusiast]

Leaves three evenly-spaced blocks:

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x = 11, y = 21, rule = B3/S23
2bo$obo$b2o16$7b3o$8bo$8b3o!

*jaw drops*

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x = 89, y = 53, rule = B3/S23
2bo$obo$b2o19$11b3o$12bo59bo$12b3o55bobo$71b2o26$85b3o$86bo$86b3o!

Glider-boat-tie collision creates eater:

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x = 13, y = 14, rule = LifeHistory
.A$A.A$.2A$3.2A$3.A.A$4.A6$10.2A$10.A.A$10.A!

[Extrementhusiast]

Blinker collides with honey farm to no avail:

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.OOO.........
O..O.........
.OO.......OOO

(I did this one in ASCII, as I am away from my normal computer right now.)

[Lewis]

32-cell P2 oscillator found naturally in soup (rotor resembles a Spark Coil P2):

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x = 20, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
ob2ob4o2b7o$3bob6o2b3o$3b4ob3obobobobo$2o3bo3bo2b2ob3o$ob2obo3b4ob2ob
2o$bo2bo6bo2b5o$2b3o2bo3b2obo4bo$2o2bob2o2bo2b7o$2o2bobob2o2b2obo2bo$o
bo3b3obo3b2obobo$6b2o4bo2b3o$ob6obobo2bo2b2o$o6bo2bo2bobo2bo$5bob5o6b
2o$2b3o2bob2obo2b3obo$o2bob3obobo3bo2b2o$bob6o2b2o2bo2b2o$3ob2obo5bobo
3bo$2b2ob4o2bob6o$bo4bo4b4o2b3o!

[Extrementhusiast]

32-cell P2 oscillator found naturally in soup (rotor resembles a Spark Coil P2):

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x = 20, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
ob2ob4o2b7o$3bob6o2b3o$3b4ob3obobobobo$2o3bo3bo2b2ob3o$ob2obo3b4ob2ob
2o$bo2bo6bo2b5o$2b3o2bo3b2obo4bo$2o2bob2o2bo2b7o$2o2bobob2o2b2obo2bo$o
bo3b3obo3b2obobo$6b2o4bo2b3o$ob6obobo2bo2b2o$o6bo2bo2bobo2bo$5bob5o6b
2o$2b3o2bob2obo2b3obo$o2bob3obobo3bo2b2o$bob6o2b2o2bo2b2o$3ob2obo5bobo
3bo$2b2ob4o2bob6o$bo4bo4b4o2b3o!

The associated synthesis:

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x = 76, y = 111, rule = B3/S23
73bo$73bobo$73b2o2$46bo$25bo18bobo$23bobo19b2o$24b2o16$67bo$67bobo$67b
2o2$72bo$71bo$71b3o2$56bo$54bobo$55b2o3$52b3o$54bo$53bo3$73bo$72b2o$
72bobo4$67b2o$67bobo$67bo59$b2o$obo$2bo!

[Bill Thayer]

Is this new? Glider gun (?), period 384, found it by accident this afternoon:

x = 23, y = 25, rule = B3/S23
2$3bo$2bobo$2bobo$2bo2bo$3bobo$6bo$5b2o$5bo13b2o$19b2o3$3bo$2bobo$4bo$
4bo$4bo2$5bo$b2ob3o$3b3ob2o$6bo!

BT

[ssaamm]

Is this new? Glider gun (?), period 384, found it by accident this afternoon:

x = 23, y = 25, rule = B3/S23
2$3bo$2bobo$2bobo$2bo2bo$3bobo$6bo$5b2o$5bo13b2o$19b2o3$3bo$2bobo$4bo$
4bo$4bo2$5bo$b2ob3o$3b3ob2o$6bo!

BT

No, that's been known for a while, and several people have found it already.
Technically, it's a switch engine, but it functions as a forward rake/puffer combo