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2026-10-28T09:34:37Z

Dvgrn: mention new record smallest unsynthesizable oscillator

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''October 16''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=237584#p237584 constructs] an [[engineless]] 3c/7 orthogonal rake, demonstrating that 3c/7 rakes of all periods 770 or greater can be constructed.
* '''October 13''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=237378#p237378 discovers] a period-35 3c/7 orthogonal rake based on a spaceship by [[iNoMed]].
* '''October 10''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=237177#p237177 posts] a population-321 [[unsynthesizable oscillator]] with a 275-cell self-forcing patch, a considerable improvement over the previous smallest known unsynthesizable oscillator.
* '''September 27''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=235953#p235953 reduces] the [[unsynthesizable still life]] record again, from 154 live cells in a 252-cell self-forcing patch to 153 live cells in a 245-cell patch.
* '''September 25''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=235812#p235812 discovers] a [[period-38 glider gun]] engine using a partial by [[Period1GliderGun]]; the gun was subsequently reduced by several other contributors.
* '''September 14''': [[ENDW]]’s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=235116#p235116 first forum post] contains an implementation of [[Goldtiger997]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207398#p207398 proposed] [[omniship]] design with velocity (16,9)c/60 and period 600000000. This design allows the construction of spaceships for all non-orthogonal velocities strictly below the spaceship [[speed limit]].
* '''September 11''': [[russellsprouts]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234959#p234959 constructs] the first [[Langton's Ant]] emulator in Life not based on the [[0E0P metacell]].
* '''September 11''': [[I6_I6]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234958#p234958 constructs] the first [[self-synthesizing]] [[reflectorless rotating oscillator]] in Life; [[Goldtiger997]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Reflectorless_rotating_oscillator#Engineered_RROs previous design] was not truly self-synthesizing.
* '''September 10-11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234911#p234911 constructs] the first c/6 diagonal puffer, using a reaction by [[Hunter]]. [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234923#p234923 constructs] some smaller examples the next day. While c/6 diagonal puffers based on the [[Speed Demonoid]] design are possible, none have yet been constructed, and any such puffer would be much larger.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Unsynthesizable oscillator 1

2026-10-28T09:31:20Z

Dvgrn: mention smaller unsynthesizable oscillator from October 2026

{{Oscillator
|name = Unsynthesizable oscillator 1
|pname = unsynthesizableoscillator1
|discoverer = Oscar Cunningham
|discoverer2 = Ilkka Törmä
|discoverer3 = Ville Salo
|c = 1077
|bx = 60
|by = 53
|p = 2
|m = 2
|h = 717
|v = 0.50
|sv = 0.50
|symmetry = n
|discoveryear = 2022
|rulemin = B3/S23
|rulemax = B3/S2378
|isorulemin = B3/S23
|isorulemax = B3/S234e5-ejkr6-k78
|rulespecial = [[Conway's Game of Life|Conway Life]]
|synthesis = 0
|rle = true
|plaintext = true
|apgcode = xp2_y1g8o6pa3sbp828pbo7p46xggc88gw4a970c4jqicggozg88mlg8o6lgkmam9hhead87o3bcb60rp21gs2djif8amim12q4ll2sgzqb4tk0sm8n0kakal2ligebkbgalblahaj2u0qj2jckal2l54t2k54macggzoi0t87o8p65a50tks323skal23sks325qkal23skt05a5al8la57o4f8b4koz622dl5k5b8ab5bk8o757o8la5bk8o757o8la5bk8o757o9qh1ua69afgdbzxoo1pe30eladihidalahaladihidalahaladihidadihimca3gfpi1zx4s0f06mqmkgfijsks32lakcj23sks32lakcj23sksjid86eabk5aa6zy11p5aai260v8ms04b56p8p65bk8kb56p8p65b40sm8v146p90gzy319lcom26504bdba8n99eaehhheae99n8abdb40562mocl91zy7214396g0o1f052ru0256520ur250f1o0g693412zyo65156
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 500 GPS 2 ZOOM 8 ]]
}}
'''Unsynthesizable oscillator 1''' is an [[oscillator]] that is provably impossible to [[synthesis|synthesize]]. It is the first such oscillator where the proof of impossibility does not involve the still life patch in the solution for [[unique father problem]].

The first example was constructed on April 27, 2022 by [[Oscar Cunningham]] based on a "self-forcing" finite patch of {{period|2}} [[agar]] found by [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]].<ref name="post144795" /> A reduced form by [[Aleph]] is shown in the infobox.<ref name="post144987" />

On February 27, 2026, [[Katrina]] discovered a smaller example with a 733-cell self-forcing patch, whose smallest stabilisation has a minimal population of 696.<ref>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=576|p=226096|title=Re: Thread for your unsure discoveries|author=Katrina|date=February 7, 2026|format=ref}}</ref>

On October 10, 2026, [[400spartans]] produced a 321-cell period-2 oscillator with a 275-cell self-forcing patch.<ref>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=6830|p=237177|title=Re: Stable patterns which are not glider-constructible|author=400spartans|date=October 10, 2026|format=ref}}</ref>
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 47, y = 43, rule = LifeHistory
20.A.A.A.A$11.2A.2A3.A.2A.2A.A3.2A.2A$10.A.A.A4.A7.A4.A.A.A$9.A2.A4.A.A.2A.2A.A.A4.A2.A$9.2A2.4A.A2.2A.2A2.A.4A2.2A$7.2A2.2A3.A6.A6.A3.2A2.2A$6.A2.3A.4A2.4A.4A2.4A.3A2.A$7.2A7.A.2A.A3.A.2A.A7.2A$8.A.A2.A6.A5.A6.A2.A.A$8.A.4A2.4A.5A.4A2.4A.A$6.2A2.A2.A.2A.A3.A.A3.A.2A.A2.A2.2A$5.A5.2A4.A5.A5.A4.2A5.A$6.2A.2A.2A.2A.5A.5A.2A.2A.2A.2A$8.2A2.D.AC3.A.A3.A.A3.CA.D2.2A$.2A3.2A2.A2D2C5DC5DC5D2C2DA2.2A3.2A$.A.A.A.A2.A.C2D2CA2CD2CA2CD2CA2C2DC.A2.A.A.A.A$3.A.A3.D.AC3DC.C3DC.C3DC.C3DCA.D3.A.A$2.A2.A2.2D2CDC3DC5DC5DC3DCD2C2D2.A2.A$.A4.2A.C2DCD3CD5CD5CD3CDC2DC.2A4.A$2.2A2.D.AC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCA.D2.2A$4.A2D2CDC2D2C5DC5DC5D2C2DCD2C2DA$4.A.C2DCD2C2D5CD5CD5C2D2CDC2DC.A$5.AC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCA$4.ACDC2D2CDC3DC5DC5DC3DCD2C2DCDCA$2A.A.DCD2C2DCD3CD5CD5CD3CDC2D2CDCD.A.2A$.A.A3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DA.A$A2.A.DCD2C2DCDC5DC5DC5DCDC2D2CDCD.A2.A$2A2.ACDC2D2CDCD5CD5CD5CDCD2C2DCDCA2.2A$5.AC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCA$4.A.C2DCD2C4DC5DC5DC4D2CDC2DC.A$4.A2D2CDC2D4CD5CD5CD4C2DCD2C2DA$2.2A2.D.AC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCA.D2.2A$.A4.2A.C2DCDC5DC5DC5DCDC2DC.2A4.A$2.A2.A2.2D2CDCD5CD5CD5CDCD2C2D2.A2.A$3.A.A3.D.AC3DCDC3DCDC3DCDC3DCA.D3.A.A$.A.A.A.A2.A.C4DC5DC5DC4DC.A2.A.A.A.A$.2A3.2A2.A2D4CA5CA5CA4C2DA2.2A3.2A$8.2A6.3D3.3D3.3D6.2A$6.3A.2A3.2A2.A.2A.2A.A2.2A3.2A.3A$5.A5.A2.A.A2.2A.A.A.2A2.A.A2.A5.A$5.A.A2.2A.A19.A.2A2.A.A$6.2A2.A.A21.A.A2.2A$11.A23.A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 12 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 AUTOSTART GPS 2 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-696 unconstructible p2, with a self-forcing patch of 733 specified cells.
|style = width:300px;
|apgcode = xp2_y5ok2egmig8ge1qr0rq1eg8gimge2kozy225t2qjhq22ngkmamihimamkgn22qhjq2t52z0ggw2ll8cl26lod525ckc525ckc525dol62lc8ll2wggz09kj0789go56bk8pb5bp8pb5bp8pb5bp8kb65og9870jk9zgg0gbcm9hidam9himamihimamihimamih9madih9mcbg0ggz6503kcq52jckq525ckc525ckc525ckc525qkcj25qck3056z04ai1o45369okb5bp8pb5bp8pb5bp8pb5bko96354o1ia4z03210habc4bo12iaq32qiaq3qaiq23qai21ob4cbah0123zy1123w3521yf1253w321
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post144795">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|p = 144795
|author = Oscar Cunningham
|date = April 27, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post144987">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|p = 144987
|author = Dave Greene
|date = May 2, 2022
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
{{LinkCatagolue|xp2_y1g8o6pa3sbp828pbo7p46xggc88gw4a970c4jqicggozg88mlg8o6lgkmam9hhead87o3bcb60rp21gs2djif8amim12q4ll2sgzqb4tk0sm8n0kakal2ligebkbgalblahaj2u0qj2jckal2l54t2k54macggzoi0t87o8p65a50tks323skal23sks325qkal23skt05a5al8la57o4f8b4koz622dl5k5b8ab5bk8o757o8la5bk8o757o8la5bk8o757o9qh1ua69afgdbzxoo1pe30eladihidalahaladihidalahaladihidadihimca3gfpi1zx4s0f06mqmkgfijsks32lakcj23sks32lakcj23sksjid86eabk5aa6zy11p5aai260v8ms04b56p8p65bk8kb56p8p65b40sm8v146p90gzy319lcom26504bdba8n99eaehhheae99n8abdb40562mocl91zy7214396g0o1f052ru0256520ur250f1o0g693412zyo65156|format=extended}}

Tutorials/slsparse

2026-10-01T07:58:31Z

Dvgrn: link to oncoming glider gun construction arm as more efficient alternative

Adam P. Goucher's single-channel compiler program for sparse constellations of still lifes, [[slsparse]], is a very powerful tool for helping to construct a large number of self-constructing Life circuitry designs.

This walkthrough describes the current process for piecing together one of the simplest types of self-constructing spaceship, a [[Demonoid]] (diagonal Geminoid). Compiling a different self-constructing structure is mostly a matter of building a blueprint for it, and feeding the required still-life constellations into slsparse via an {{filename|infile.mc}}. The content of {{filename|infile.mc}} can actually be in either [[macrocell]] format, standard [[RLE]], or {{rl|LifeHistory}} (see below), but the name must be "infile.mc".

SIDE NOTE: slmake/slsparse/pslmake is no longer the most efficient method of constructing a Demonoid. [[Oncoming glider gun construction arm]] technology has now produced Demonoids that [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=232523#p232523 fit inside a LifeViewer grid].

==Installation==
This 'slsparse' walkthrough is written for running via Cygwin on Windows. Linux folks will probably be clever enough to adjust the instructions to leave out the Cygwin-related details that they don't need.

To get slsparse working, follow the initial setup instructions for apgmera -- https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/apgmera -- but then run this clone command instead:

<pre>git clone https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/slmake.git

cd slmake

./slsparse.cpp</pre>

(Yes, you compile slsparse by running the {{filename|.cpp}} file as if it were an executable file. This is an excessive piece of cleverness, not the way that {{filename|.cpp}} files normally work, but the early lines of the {{filename|.cpp}} file are arranged so that the file can be interpreted as a valid bash script that produces a compiled slsparse executable, and then runs it.)

==A First Trial Run==
Before we get into building a Demonoid, here's a simple example of a construction that you should be able to compile using slsparse:

{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 90, y = 103, rule = B3/S23
31b2o$31b2o5b2o$38b2o3$7b2o8b2o17b2o$7b2o9bo17b2o$18bobo21b2o$19b2o21b
2o$b2o$b2o$5b2o21b2o$5b2o20bo2bo$28bobo$23b2o4bo$24bo$2o19b3o$2o19bo
21bo$41b3o$40bo$40b2o7$14b2o$7b2o5b2o$8bo$5b3o$5bo41b2o$10b2o35b2o$10b
2o3$42b2o$42b2o$46b2o$46b2o$5b2o21b2o$5b2o21bobo$11b2o17bo9b2o$11b2o
17b2o8b2o3$9b2o$9b2o5b2o$16b2o24$52b3o$52bo$53bo24$88bo$87bobo$83b2obo
2bo$83b2obobo$87bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 640 WIDTH 640 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 4 THEME 6 ]]
|position = center
|caption = infile pattern for slsparse, for a p256 oscillator
|style = width:300px;
}}

There are three parts to this slsparse input file:
* the actual constellation to be constructed, in the northwest in this case;
* the optional [[slow salvo]] of gliders to be constructed after the constellation is complete -- in this case, just one glider to activate the [[seed]];
* the location and orientation of the initial [[single-channel]] [[elbow]] that will produce all the slow-salvo construction gliders.

The location of the elbow block is signalled by the placement of a [[pseudo]] [[still life]], a block placed one cell away from a [[mango]]. The location and orientation of the mango specify where the single-channel glider stream will strike the block. Note that the diagonal width of the mango matches the diagonal width of a single-channel glider lane aimed to hit the block correctly (where the first glider will create a [[pi-heptomino]]).

Save the above RLE from LifeViewer, as '''{{filename|infile.mc}}''' in the slmake root directory. There's no need to actually convert the pattern into macrocell format, though that will work too.

Once you've supplied the input file, simply run slsparse -- no command-line options are needed:

<pre>./slsparse</pre>

When the compilation is complete, open {{filename|outfile.mc}} in Golly. You should see a very long stream of single-channel gliders aimed at a block in the southwest corner. When you run the pattern, the single-channel stream will compile the p256 oscillator seed and trigger it with the specified glider.

===Variations===

As described in more detail below, by default slsparse will create a target block using a specialized initial slow salvo, and will then push it to whatever location it needs to complete the requested construction. Sometimes you may instead want to start a construction with a pre-placed initial target block. This can be signaled in infile.mc with a specific complex still life, outlining the exact position of the block:

{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 113, y = 134, rule = B3/S23
3b2o$2bo2bo$bob2obo$obo2bobo$obo2bobo$bob2obo$2bo2bo$3b2o24$54b2o$54b
2o5b2o$61b2o3$30b2o8b2o17b2o$30b2o9bo17b2o$41bobo21b2o$42b2o21b2o$24b
2o$24b2o$28b2o21b2o$28b2o20bo2bo$51bobo$46b2o4bo$47bo$23b2o19b3o$23b2o
19bo21bo$64b3o$63bo$63b2o7$37b2o$30b2o5b2o$31bo$28b3o$28bo41b2o$33b2o
35b2o$33b2o3$65b2o$65b2o$69b2o$69b2o$28b2o21b2o$28b2o21bobo$34b2o17bo
9b2o$34b2o17b2o8b2o3$32b2o$32b2o5b2o$39b2o24$75b3o$75bo$76bo24$111bo$
110bobo$106b2obo2bo$106b2obobo$110bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 640 WIDTH 640 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 4 THEME 6 ]]
|position = center
|caption = infile pattern for slsparse, for a p256 oscillator -- starting block location specified by 24-bit [[PS4B]] still life (far NW)
|style = width:300px;
}}

If the block's starting position is too close to some of the objects being constructed, or even partially or completely overlaps them, then an alternate method of specifying the starting block location can be used. Convert the starting pattern into LifeHistory format, then mark the block location with red state-4 cells. Use white state-3 cells for any cells in the starting target block that overlap a live cell in the pattern-to-construct. Example:

{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 91, y = 103, rule = LifeHistory
32.2A$32.2A5.2A$39.2A3$8.2A8.2A17.2A$8.2A9.A17.2A$19.A.A21.2A$20.2A
21.2A$2.2A$2.2A$6.2A21.2A$6.2A20.A2.A$29.A.A$24.2A4.A$25.A$.2A19.3A$D
CA19.A21.A$2D40.3A$41.A$41.2A7$15.2A$8.2A5.2A$9.A$6.3A$6.A41.2A$11.2A
35.2A$11.2A3$43.2A$43.2A$47.2A$47.2A$6.2A21.2A$6.2A21.A.A$12.2A17.A9.
2A$12.2A17.2A8.2A3$10.2A$10.2A5.2A$17.2A24$53.3A$53.A$54.A24$89.A$88.
A.A$84.2A.A2.A$84.2A.A.A$88.A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 640 WIDTH 640 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 4 THEME 6 ]]
|position = center
|caption = infile pattern for slsparse, for a p256 oscillator -- LifeHistory format
|style = width:300px;
}}

==Demonoid specifics==
Let's assign names to the various widely separated parts of our planned Demonoid. ''(TBD: Need diagram here)''

"Circuit A": a signal splitter consisting of a syringe plus a dependent Herschel-to-2-gliders converter. Glider in, two gliders out in different direction -- one to run the construction arm, and one to make a copy of the recipe stream and send it to Circuit B.

"Circuit B": a simple Snark reflector, which sends the recipe stream copy to a copy of Circuit A at the other end of the spaceship.

Each time the recipe glider stream goes through one of the universal constructors, it has to accomplish several tasks:

'''1)''' Create a new child copy of the universal constructor at a (4096,-4096) offset (in Golly coordinates, not Cartesian coordinates -- inverted Y axis). This means starting with the existing elbow near the parent's Circuit B, and pushing an elbow 2048 cells out to build the child's Circuit A. There are recipes available for pushing any specific distance, but we'll mostly make use of the most efficient known long-distance move, a 44[[hd]] elbow push:

{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 530, y = 533, rule = B3/S23
528b2o$528b2o3$527b3o$529bo$528bo25$500b2o$501b2o$500bo20$478bo$478b2o
$477bobo22$454b3o$456bo$455bo20$432bo$432b2o$431bobo21$409b2o$410b2o$
409bo22$385b3o$387bo$386bo20$363bo$363b2o$362bobo21$340b2o$339bobo$
341bo33$305b3o$307bo$306bo37$266b2o$267b2o$266bo22$242b2o$243b2o$242bo
20$220bo$220b2o$219bobo28$190bo$190b2o$189bobo21$167b2o$166bobo$168bo
22$143bo$143b2o$142bobo25$116b2o$115bobo$117bo21$93b3o$95bo$94bo20$71b
2o$70bobo$72bo21$48bo$48b2o$47bobo45$bo$b2o$obo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THEME 6 WIDTH 1000 HEIGHT 1000 STEP 1 PAUSE 2 X 260 Y -260 Z 6 PAUSE 0 STEP 25 PAUSE 2 T 2000 STEP 5 T 2195 PAUSE 2 LOOP 2196 ]]
|position = center
|caption = 44hd elbow push recipe
|style = width:300px;
}}

'''2)''' The elbow is pushed out another 2048 cells, then builds the child's Circuit B (Snark).

'''3)''' Make a 180-degree return glider on a lane 3hd from the single-channel lane, leaving an elbow block next to child Circuit B. The child U.C. will start construction from this elbow location.

'''4)''' Wait until the return glider is passing Circuit A, then hit it with a glider in the channel to make a honeyfarm, then an additional 23-glider salvo to produce a clean new elbow block near Circuit A.

'''5)''' Hit the new elbow block with a 22-glider "elbow duplicator" salvo to produce two elbows in series on the channel.

'''6)''' Hit the nearer, southwest, duplicated elbow block with a stream of 17 gliders to produce a Snark-destroying return glider directly in the channel.

'''7)''' Meet the Snark-destroying return glider with two more gliders to settle the resulting explosion and produce a clean single elbow block, lined up correctly with the glider channel *before* the turn that the Snark has been facilitating (until now).

'''8)''' Now we're back to something slmake can do! This time we just need to ask slmake to build a Snark reflector.

'''9)''' Add the resulting slmake glider stream to the end of the single-channel recipe so far. Measure how far the first northeastward output glider is from where it needs to be, to strike our adjusted hand block and begin the Snark construction.

'''10)''' Find a workable sequence of block-move recipes from {{filename|pp.txt}} to correct for the measured distance, and patch this in just before the slmake Snark construction recipe.

'''11)''' The result will be that a new temporary lossless elbow Snark will be created at a (4096, -4096) offset from the old one, so it will be ready for use immediately when the glider recipe stream arrives at the child constructor. ''This has to be done as a separate step from #1, by the way, because the single-channel stream passes through this location during the construction of the rest of the U.C.''

'''12)''' Now the construction stage is complete. Again using block-move recipes from {{filename|pp.txt}}, push the elbow block outward until it lines up with the Snark reflector from the previous (grandparent) universal constructor, and shoot it down with an LWSS.

'''13)''' Push the elbow block outward until it lines up with the syringe and H-to-2G, and shoot it down with six more *WSSes.

'''14)''' Now the destruction stage is complete. Send an elbow-destroy recipe to delete the elbow block, since it's no longer needed.

==Where slsparse comes in==

You can get help from slsparse at two points in this recipe -- Step 1 and Step 8.

Start out by setting up your {{filename|infile.mc}} to do the Step 1 construction. There's a sample {{filename|infile.mc}} in the slsparse package:

{{filename|''{your Cygwin install directory}''\home\{your username}\repos\slmake\infile.mc}}

Open it in Golly and edit it until it matches what you want to build, and where you want to build it relative to the initial elbow block. The block-on-mango marks both the elbow location and the orientation of the input glider stream. Always save the file as {{filename|infile.mc}}.

We're going to build a Demonoid with a long step size -- a long distance between reflectors -- so slsparse's long-distance compilation abilities will come in handy.

Here's the input RLE file:

{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 4188, y = 4069, rule = B3/S23
4177b2o$4177bobo$4179bo4b2o$4175b4ob2o2bo2bo$4175bo2bobobobob2o$4178bo
bobobo$4179b2obobo$4183bo2$4169b2o$4170bo7b2o$4170bobo5b2o$4171b2o7$
4181b2o$4181bo$4182b3o$4184bo2044$2146bo11b2o$2145bobo10b2o$2112b2o31b
obo$2113bo25b2o2b3ob2o$2113bobo23bo2bo$2114b2o21bobo3b3ob2o$2137b2o6bo
b2o7$2135b2o13b2o$2135b2o13b2o$2165b2o$2164bo2bo$2165b2obo$2168bo$
2168b2o$2153b2o$2154bo$2126b2o23b3o$2126bo24bo$2127b3o$2120b2o7bo$
2120bo$2121b3o$2123bo1970$2bo$bobob2o$o2bob2o$obo$bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM -12 THEME 6 ]]
|position = center
|caption = <div style="text-align:left;">Southwest to northeast:
* block-on-mango where construction-arm elbow starts,
* Circuit A ([[syringe]] and H-to-2G),
* Circuit B ([[Snark]])</div>
|style = width:300px;
}}

Run slsparse the first time with

<pre>./slsparse.cpp</pre>

This creates an slsparse.exe file and automatically runs it. For future runs you can get away with just

<pre>./slsparse</pre>

until there's an update to the slsparse GitLabs repository, at which point you'll want to download and re-compile:

<pre>rm infile.mc
git pull
./slsparse.cpp</pre>

All of these commands are run directly from the slmake root folder.

When you run slsparse, if the program finds a way to build the contents of {{filename|infile.mc}}, a single-channel recipe pattern is created in {{filename|outfile.mc}}, with the {{filename|outfile.txt}} listing the timing offsets between gliders.

The program currently appends lots of elbow block moves to the end of the recipe, to get the elbow back to where it started We don't want to go back that far, so we'll have to identify the exact point where the recipe produces a clean elbow block again after sending the final sideways glider. Remove all the gliders after that to get the useful part of the recipe.

You can do this by running the pattern until the first useless glider is about to hit the elbow. Then copy all the remaining useless recipe gliders, go back to {{eq|T|0}}, paste in at a 100-cell horizontal offset or so lined up exactly with the end of the full recipe, then select the doubled area and delete everything. An XOR paste would work if the gliders happened to be in the right phase, but it's much much slower.

(Or there's a sneaky trick: make a copy of progress.txt when the compiler reaches exactly the right point -- or arrange the requested construction so the compilation will fail at the last step and the final gliders are never added!)

In Step 8 we have to build the lossless-elbow Snark. Here's the input pattern. This time it's small enough to be a little easier to understand:

{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 68, y = 72, rule = B3/S23
63b2o$62bo2bo$61bob2obo$60bobo2bobo$60bobo2bobo$61bob2obo$62bo2bo$63b
2o5$48b2o$49bo$47bo$47b5o14b2o$52bo13bo$49b3o12bobo$48bo15b2o$48b4o$
46b2o3bo3b2o$45bo2b3o4b2o$45b2obo$48bo$48b2o3$56b2o$57bo$54b3o$54bo37$
4bo$2obobo$2obo2bo$4bobo$5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 720 WIDTH 720 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 8 THEME 6 ]]
|position = center
|caption = block-on-mango marking start location for construction-arm elbow, and the side where the glider stream will strike. The [[Snark]] is the target pattern to be constructed. Starting block location marked by large PS4B still life.
|style = width:300px;
}}

Giving this to slsparse by saving it as infile.mc is essentially asking for a single-channel recipe starting with a block at the mango-on-block location, with gliders aimed to strike the right side of the block. If compilation is successful, the result will be a Snark placed in that precise location relative to the elbow block.

As described in the '''Variations''' section above, the large 24-bit 'PS4B' still life (pond siamese four beehives) in the above pattern marks the location of an existing target block. This tells slsparse to start with a block in this location, along with the mango-on-block elbow.

If the PS4B marker is not present, slsparse first automatically creates a target "hand" block and moves it to the correct location to start construction. In a multi-cluster constellation there may be several PS4Bs, and also several clusters with no PS4Bs; slsparse will automatically create new hand blocks when they're needed, and use existing ones if they have been marked.

For this last part of the Demonoid construction we have an awkward situation that needs a PS4B marker. The new temporary lossless-elbow Snark has to be built a very long distance from the actual construction elbow block. So we really don't want to create a hand block and push it all the way to the lossless-elbow Snark's intended location, way out at Circuit A. Instead we just mark the location of the leftover northeastern elbow block (from Step 5) relative to where we want the Snark to be, and slsparse does the rest.

==More Features==
# If {{filename|infile.mc}} contains still lifes with a population of 32 cells or more, slsparse will not attempt to construct them -- but it will assume that they exist in the Life universe, and will attempt to find construction recipes for the remaining objects that do not damage the ≥32-bit obstacles. This can be very useful if you need to build a new structure in close proximity to an existing one. Replace the existing structures with equivalent large obstacles, and slsparse will obey the additional constraints.
# If a partition of the construction is sufficiently far away that it's cheaper for slsparse to build a [[Cordership]] [[seed]], trigger it, wait until the Cordership has traveled sufficiently far away, shoot down the Cordership, clean up the debris except for a single block, and proceed with the construction from there... then slsparse will do this automatically.
# If an elbow has to be moved closer to the single-channel source by a long distance, such that it is cheaper for slsparse to generate a 180-degree return glider, wait until the glider is close to the elbow, hit it with another glider, and clean up the debris to regenerate an elbow, slsparse will do this automatically. This is accomplished with an elbow duplication recipe similar to the one used in the Demonoid above. If it is necessary to jump back and forth between two distant points, an elbow will be left behind at the more distant location. The recipes involved are called "left parenthesis" (duplicate the elbow, convert the nearer elbow to a glider, convert the glider back to an elbow at the right distance) and "right parenthesis" (delete the near elbow, and send a cleanup salvo to standardize the far elbow. The current recipe leaves the far elbow in the form of a random-looking junk constellation.)
# If a metacluster is in the construction "danger zone" -- i.e., if it overlaps the construction lane, so that some of the final structure would interfere with the elbow-operation reactions necessary to construct it -- then slsparse will send two Snarkmaker recipes, to bend the construction arm to one side of the construction area so that the structure can be put in place safely. When the construction is done, slsparse will add two Snarkbreaker recipes to remove the temporary lossless elbows.
# If a ''sufficiently narrow'' metacluster is in the construction danger zone, with the required construction gliders no farther to the side than +/-107hd from the single-channel lane, then slsparse will automatically generate a 0-degree elbow and produce the required gliders directly instead of using Snarkmaker / Snarkbreaker pairs.
# If an {{filename|infile.mc}} pattern contains a block-on-mango plus a set of unidirectional gliders on appropriate lanes that they can be generated by the designated elbow, then slsparse will create a single-channel recipe that generates gliders on those lanes in the specified order. This allows for the color of an entire salvo to be changed easily: moving the block-on-mango by one cell orthogonally and recompiling will produce an opposite-color salvo. The assumption is that the gliders constitute a p2 slow-salvo recipe, so only the parities of the gliders will be preserved. In other words, the resulting output recipe will only be useful if no synchronization is needed between the unidirectional gliders.

{{Tutorial}}

Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction/Errata

2026-09-27T17:09:43Z

Dvgrn: /* Anachronisms */ now there's a true p38 gun

This page is intended to catalogue any anachronisms or typos found in the book [[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]].

== Anachronisms ==

The book is up-to-date as of January 15, 2022. The discoveries listed here are all from after that date.

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Date
! Section
! Pages
! Notes
|-
| January 29, 2022
| 8.5
| 234
| Table 8.1 does not include the period-27 glider gun [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140915#p140915 found by goldenratio and hotdogPi].
|-
| February 14, 2022
| 8.5
| 236
| [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141620#p141620 JP21 found a new (smaller) p28 gun], making the sentence "The only known true-period 28 glider gun is also based on hassling a T-tetromino..." no longer true.
|-
| April 12, 2022
| 8.5.1
| 233-4
| iNoMed and David Raucci have assembled a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144139#p144139 single-engine p36 gun]. Nothing in the book is technically incorrect, but "36" is now a slight anachronism in the section title "Spark Collisions: True-Period 22, 30, 33, 36, 45, and 46 Guns"
|-
| June 25, 2022
| 8.5.2
| 234-6
| iNoMed and cvojan have built [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147512#p147512 guns based on a new p37 R-hassling oscillator], which is not in the table. "37" should now be included in the 8.5.2 section title.
|-
| July 6, 2022
| 3.7
| 73
| "34" can be removed from the list of unknown periods.
|-
| November 2, 2022
| Exercise 8.17
| 265
| Period 51 now has a very simple [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153007#p153007 honeyfarm hassler gun] as well as the larger one based on the hotcrystal0 reaction. Nothing in the book seems to be inaccurate, but possibly a reference to the smaller p51 could be added in the footnote.
|-
| November 8, 2022
| 8.5.2
| 234-6
| "25" can be added to the table due to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153265#p153265 this p25 gun]. It's a "modified B-heptomino hassler", so it '''could''' be added to the hasslers section, but maybe that object isn't common enough to count as "common".
|-
| January 12, 2023
| 4.6.1
| 106-107
| A fifth elementary diagonal spaceship speed has been discovered, the c/8 [[Walrus]].
|-
| April 5, 2023 (p61 glider gun) and/or July 24, 2022 (speed tunnel)
| 8.5.2
| 234-6
| "61" can be added to the hasslers section due to [[Period-61 glider gun (2023)|this p61 gun]]. But also the p61 and p62 lines could simply be cut from the table, and explanatory text could say that all periods 61 and above can be achieved with [[speed tunnel]]s and a carefully chosen subset of Herschel tracks.
|-
| June 6, 2023
| 4.6.1, 10.5
| 108, 337-340
| [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|A spaceship]] was constructed via the [[(34,7)c/156 Herschel climber]], attaining a speed of (34,7)c/156 and a slope of 34/7
|-
| July 14 & 21, 2023
| 3.7, 4.5.1
| 73-74, 101-103
| "19" and "41" can be removed from the list of unknown periods (which can be made empty); 2023 can be added as a year in which new periods were discovered, and Life was proven omniperiodic.
|-
| November 15, 2022 (21-bitters)<br/>August 19, 2024 (22-bitters)<br/>December 27, 2025 (23-bitters)
| 5.3, 5.8
| 129, 147
| Syntheses have since been found for all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153564#p153564 21-bit strict still lifes], all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192477#p192477 22-bit strict still lifes], and all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223246#p223246 23-bit strict still lifes]
|-
| September 11, 2022 & January 31, 2023
| 3.5
| 68
| [[Period-43 glider gun]] and [[94P53]] mean that periods 43 and 53 are no longer only achievable with [[snark]] loops
|-
| October 28-30, 2024
| 8.5.2
| 234-6
| There is now a true [[period-47 glider gun]] by iNoMed, Entity Valkyrie, and Luka Okanishi.
|-
| December 5, 2024
| 8.5.2
| 234-6
| There is now a true [[period-35 glider gun]] by iNoMed, hotcrystal0, and Matthias Merzenich.
|-
| December 14, 2024
| 9.4.2, Chapter 9 Exercises
| 288-291, 309-310
| Optimized arithmetic units ADD, SUB, and MUL are now [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199807#p199807 available], exactly as requested in Exercise 9.13. An APGsembly listing for a computer that prints prime numbers (Exercise 9.25) is included in the package; I think the original source is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=92224#p92224 Nathaniel's posted solutions] to Exercises 9.24 and 9.25.
|-
| March 16, 2025
| 8.5.2
| 234-6
| There is now a true [[period-14 glider gun]] by Matthias Merzenich and James Pascua.
|-
| 2024-2025
| 10.1.4, 10.5
| 321, 337
| [[silverfish]] is no longer the smallest [[31c/240 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]], having been surpassed by [[leaf bug]], [[Mannaz]], [[water strider]], and [[leaf bug 2]]
|-
| February 11, 2022
| 3.3.1
| 61
| [[caterer]] is no longer used for [[SKOP]] 21 ([[32P21]])
|-
| September 27, 2026
| 3.7
| 73
| "38" can be removed from the list of unknown periods.
|}

== Errata and Typos ==

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Section
! Pages
! Notes
|-
| 1.8
| 31
| Exercise 1.17 claims that a pattern stabilizes in 6526574 generations, when in reality it stabilizes in 8120878 generations.
|-
| 4.5.2
| 103
| ''When this happens, the wire is instead called a wick, and the '''objects''' that '''“burns”''' through the wick is called a fuse.'' Subject-verb disagreement.
|-
| 6
| 154
| "... typically smaller and simpler that stationary circuitry ..." should be "... typically smaller and simpler than stable circuitry ..."
|-
| 6.3.3
| 168
| In footnote 17, "stationary" should be "stable" instead.
|-
| 6.6
| 181
| There appears to be an erroneous space between problem 6.31 and its asterisk.
|-
| 7.9
| 211
| Footnote 40 appears on page 212, though the reference is on page 211.
|-
| 7.9
| 218
| There appears to be an erroneous space between problem 7.38 and its asterisk.
|-
| 7.9
| 218
| In problem 7.38, "true period" should be "true-period" as it is throughout the book.
|-
| 9.8, Figure 9.17
| 307
| (FIXED 04/23/2022 on website and PDF) Omission - the pattern file [https://conwaylife.com/book/patterns/universal_computation/osqrtlogt.txt reachable by clicking Figure 9.17] has comments that imply that the pattern is Adam P. Goucher's original Osqrtlogt. An additional line should say "Partially rebuilt and reduced by Dave Greene and Nathaniel Johnston in 2019-20, using newer components like [[Snark]] and [[syringe]]."
|-
| 10.2.1
| 322
| Typo - "behind a backward ra'''t'''e" should be "behind a backward ra'''k'''e"
|-
| 11.3
| 361
| Missing number - the recipe to create a glider on lane 12 is missing a timing delay of 109 ticks at the start.
|-
| 11.7.3, Figure 11.24
| 375
| Typo - "... allowing the crab two carry two construction ..." first instance of "two" should be "to".
|-
| 11.7.3, Figure 11.24
| 375
| Typo - "... so as trigger the ignitions." should be "... so as to trigger the ignitions."
|-
| 11.27
| 380
| Typo - "bounces around the diamond-shaped track highlighted '''track''' in orange": second instance of "track" should be removed.
|-
| 12.3
| 395
| Figure 12.16 caption, "degrees). Uses the same state" → "degrees). '''It''' uses the same state"
|-
| Pattern Library
|
| The pattern file for Chapter 4 exercise 4.28 in the library is named "beehive wire" but should be "beehive wick" (the rle file contains the correct name).
|}

== Technically Correct, but Misleading ==

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Section
! Pages
! Notes
|-
| 4.6.2
| 110
| The text says that the adjustable bi-block rake of Figure 4.52 can have its period increased by 32 by adding additional bi-blocks. It should be noted that its period can also be increased by 8 by moving the front pair of rakes forward by 2 generations.
|-
| 5.8
| 147
| The text says that a 17-glider RCT mechanism was found in September 2020. That's true enough, but now it should probably say instead that a 16-glider mechanism was found in April 2022.
|-
| 6.4
| 171
| The p34 oscillator discovered in July 2022 has an optional attachment that allows a bumper mechanism to [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/994182431441686578 work at the minimum possible period].
|}

[[Category:Books and articles]]

Gun

2026-09-27T17:06:56Z

Dvgrn: /* True-period guns */ add redlink to period-38 gun, remove from unknown true-period gun list

{{Glossary}}
[[Image:Gosperglidergun.gif|framed|right|The first known gun, the [[Gosper glider gun]]]]
A '''gun''' is a stationary pattern that repeatedly emits [[spaceship]]s (or [[rake]]s) forever. By far the most common type of guns are '''[[glider gun]]s''', which emit [[glider]]s (the most well-known of which is the [[Gosper glider gun]]); however, guns that emit spaceships of many other speeds, including [[c/2 orthogonal]], [[2c/5 orthogonal]], and [[c/12 diagonal]], have also been created.

==History==
The first gun to be discovered, the [[Gosper glider gun]], was found by [[Bill Gosper]] in {{year|1970}}, being the first known pattern in [[Conway's Game of Life]] to exhibit [[infinite growth]]. Since then, many guns have been constructed with various periods and that fire spaceships of various speeds. Due to simple [[glider synthesis|glider syntheses]] of the [[Types_of_spaceships#Standard_spaceship|standard spaceships]] many c/2 spaceship guns are known. The first gun that did not fire gliders or c/2 spaceships was a '''Cordergun''' (a gun that fires [[Cordership]]s) constructed by [[Jason Summers]] in July, {{year|1999}}<ref name="entropymine_status" /> based on a synthesis of a variation of the [[7-engine Cordership]] by [[Stephen Silver]]. In March, {{year|2003}} [[Noam Elkies]] completed the synthesis of [[60P5H2V0]] which [[Dave Greene]] used to construct the [[P416_60P5H2V0_gun|first 2c/5 spaceship gun]] in April of the same year.

In July, {{year|2010}} Dave Greene constructed a few guns for a [[gemini|geminoid]] spaceship.<ref name="golnews201007" /> These are the first guns that shoot obliquely-traveling spaceships and at that time were the largest patterns constructed in Life, in terms of their bounding boxes.

On February 17, {{year|2013}} [[Josh Ball]] discovered a simple [[c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship, [[loafer]]. Adam P. Goucher found a synthesis for the loafer later that day, allowing the construction of c/7 orthogonal spaceship guns.<ref name="post7466" />

During March {{year|2016}} the [[copperhead]] spaceship was discovered, with a glider synthesis and several guns following suit.<ref name="post28101" />

In {{year|2019}} and {{year|2020}} guns were produced for the spaceships [[46P4H1V0]],<ref name="post84423" /> [[spider]],<ref name="post88186" /> and [[58P5H1V1]],<ref name="post97489" /> of speeds [[c/4 orthogonal]], [[c/5 orthogonal]], and [[c/5 diagonal]] respectively.

==Barrels==
{{main|Barrel}}
The barrel of a gun (or rake) is a path along which spaceships travel. For example, a double-barrelled glider gun is a gun that emits two glider streams.

==Pseudo-period guns==
A '''pseudo-[[period]] gun''' (as opposed to a [[true-period]] gun) is a gun that emits a period n stream of spaceships (or rakes) via a mechanism that oscillates with a period different from n -- this period will necessarily be a multiple of n. Pseudo period n glider guns are known to exist for all periods greater than or equal to 14, with smaller periods being impossible. The first pseudo period 14 gun was built by [[Dietrich Leithner]] in {{year|1995}}.

==True-period guns==
A '''true-period gun''' (as opposed to a [[#Pseudo-period guns|pseudo-period gun]]) is a gun that emits a period n stream of spaceships (or rakes) via a mechanism that oscillates with period equal to n. True period n guns are known to exist for all possible periods except for 17, 19, 23, 26, 29, and 31. Credits for gun periods below 62 are as follows:

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Period
! Discoverer
! Year of discovery
|-
! [[Period-14 glider gun|14]]
| [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[James Pascua]]
| {{year|2025}}
|-
! [[Period-15 glider gun|15]]
| [[Period1GliderGun]] and [[Carson Cheng]]
| {{year|2024}}
|-
! [[Period-16 glider gun|16]]
| [[Period1GliderGun]] and [[Nora Brown]]
| {{year|2024}}
|-
! [[Period-18 glider gun|18]]
| [[400spartans]], Period1GliderGun, and [[David Raucci]]
| {{year|2025}}
|-
! [[Period-20 glider gun|20]]
| Matthias Merzenich and [[Noam Elkies]]
| {{year|2013}}
|-
! [[Period-21 glider gun|21]]
| [[Tanner Jacobi]] and David Raucci
| {{year|2021}}
|-
! [[Period-22 glider gun|22]]
| [[David Eppstein]] and [[Jason Summers]]
| {{year|2000}}
|-
! [[Period-24 glider gun|24]]
| Noam Elkies
| {{year|1997}}
|-
! [[period-25 glider gun|25]]
| [[Mitchell Riley]]
| {{year|2022}}
|-
! [[Period-27 glider gun|27]]
| David Raucci and [[goldenratio]]
| {{year|2022}}
|-
! [[Period-28 glider gun|28]]
| Matthias Merzenich and [[Paul Callahan]]
| {{year|2020}}
|-
! [[Gosper_glider_gun|30]]
| [[Bill Gosper]]
| {{year|1970}}
|-
! [[Period-32 glider gun|32]]
| Matthias Merzenich, David Raucci, [[praosylen]], [[Aleph]], and Noam Elkies
| {{year|2021}}
|-
! [[Period-33 glider gun|33]]
| [[Arie Paap]] and Matthias Merzenich
| {{year|2018}}
|-
! [[Period-34 glider gun|34]]
| [[Nora Brown]]
| {{year|2022}}
|-
! [[Period-35 glider gun|35]]
| Matthias Merzenich, [[iNoMed]], and [[hotcrystal0]]
| {{year|2024}}
|-
! [[Period-36 glider gun|36]]
| Jason Summers
| {{year|2004}}
|-
! [[Period-37 glider gun|37]]
| iNoMed, goldenratio, and [[Luke Kiernan]]
| {{year|2022}}
|-
! [[Period-38 glider gun|38]]
| [[Luka Okanishi]]
| {{year|2026}}
|-
! [[Period-39 glider gun|39]]
| [[Caleb R. Hilton]]
| {{year|2026}}
|-
! [[Period-40 glider gun|40]]
| [[Adam P. Goucher]], Jason Summers, and Matthias Merzenich
| {{year|2013}}
|-
! [[Period-41 glider gun|41]]
| iNoMed, Matthias Merzenich, [[May13]], David Raucci, and Nora Brown
| {{year|2023}}
|-
! [[Period-42 glider gun|42]]
| Tanner Jacobi and David Raucci
| {{year|2021}}
|-
! [[Period-43 glider gun|43]]
| Nora Brown
| {{year|2022}}
|-
! [[p44_pi-heptomino_hassler|44]]
| [[David Buckingham]]
| {{year|1992}}
|-
! [[period-45_glider_gun|45]]
| Matthias Merzenich
| {{year|2010}}
|-
! [[new_gun_1|46]]
| Bill Gosper
| {{year|1971}}
|-
! [[Period-47 glider gun|47]]
| [[Entity Valkyrie]] and iNoMed
| {{year|2024}}
|-
! [[Period-48 glider gun|48]]
| Noam Elkies
| {{year|1997}}
|-
! [[hotcrystal0_reaction#Generalized_form|49]]
| Tanner Jacobi, Aleph, and hotcrystal0
| {{year|2021}}
|-
! [[Period-50 glider gun|50]]
| [[Dean Hickerson]] and Noam Elkies
| {{year|1996}}
|-
! [[hotcrystal0_reaction#Generalized_form|51]]
| [[Luka Okanishi]], Aleph, and hotcrystal0
| {{year|2021}}
|-
! [[Period-52 glider gun|52]]
| [[Dave Greene]], [[Chris Cain]], Matthias Merzenich and Adam P. Goucher
| {{year|2018}}
|-
! [[Period-53 glider gun|53]]
| iNoMed and goldenratio
| {{year|2024}}
|-
! [[Quetzal#Quetzal-54|54]]
| [[Dietrich Leithner]]
| {{year|1998}}
|-
! [[Quetzal#Quetzal-55|55]]
| [[Stephen Silver]]
| {{year|1998}}
|-
! [[Quetzal#Quetzal-56|56]]
| Dietrich Leithner
| {{year|1998}}
|-
! [[Quetzal#Quetzal-57|57]]
| Matthias Merzenich
| {{year|2016}}
|-
! [[Quetzal#Quetzal-58|58]]
| [[Maia Karpovich]], Matthias Merzenich, and Chris Cain
| {{year|2016}}
|-
! [[period-59_glider_gun|59]]
| Adam P. Goucher and Jason Summers
| {{year|2009}}
|-
! [[period-60_glider_gun|60]]
| Bill Gosper
| {{year|1970}}
|-
! [[Period-61 glider gun|61]]
| Luka Okanishi
| {{year|2016}}
|}

==Smallest guns by area of bounding box==

A collection of smallest guns by bounding box area was originally created and maintained by [[Dietrich Leithner]] and [[Peter Rott]], before [[Jason Summers]] took over the maintenance. The p14-999 collection had subsequently evolved into a Git repository led by [[Chris Cain]]. Currently, the collection is maintained collaboratively at Catagolue's glider-synthesis database.

* [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/gun Current database] (Catagolue)
* [https://github.com/ceebo/glider_guns/ older repository] maintained by Chris Cain (only p14-1024)
* [https://entropymine.com/jason/life/#collections older version] maintained by Jason Summers (includes some periods in the range p1000-9999).

Note that this classification of smallest is of dubious utility: see [[Pointless optimisation game]] for more details.

==Guns in Life-like cellular automata==
Due to the existence of some small spaceships in [[Life-like cellular automata]] with birth at two live neighbours (B2), many low-period spaceship guns have been found using tools such as [[WinLifeSearch]]. In contrast, there are very few outer-totalistic rules without B2 (and B0) that are known to contain guns. The following is a list of outer-totalistic rules with neither B0 nor B2 that have known guns:
{| style="width:100%" |
|-
| valign="top" width="50%" |
* Glider guns<ref name="thread1071" />
** B3/S23 ([[Conway's Game of Life]])
** B3/S236
** B3/S2367
** B3/S23678
** B3/S2368
** B3/S237
** B3/S2378
** B3/S238 ({{rl|EightLife}})
** B36/S23 ({{rl|HighLife}})
** B36/S237
** B36/S2378
** B36/S238
** B368/S23
** B368/S238 ({{rl|LowDeath}})
** B37/S23 ({{rl|DryLife}})
** B37/S236
** B37/S237
** B37/S238
** B37/S2378
** B378/S23
** B378/S237
** B378/S2378
** B378/S238
** B38/S236
** B38/S2367
** B38/S23678
** B38/S2368
** B38/S23 ({{rl|Pedestrian Life}})
** B38/S237
** B38/S2378
** B38/S238 ({{rl|HoneyLife}})
| valign="top" |
* Other guns
** B3/S23 ([[Conway's Game of Life]])
** B3/S237
** B3/S2378
** B3/S238 ({{rl|EightLife}})
** B3/S345
** {{rl|B35/S236}}
** B357/S238 ({{rl|Pseudo Life}})
** B358/S236
** B36/S125 ({{rl|2x2}})
** B36/S23 ({{rl|HighLife}})
** B36/S237
** B36/S2378
** B36/S238
** B368/S23
** B368/S238 ({{rl|LowDeath}})
** B36/S245 ({{rl|sqrt replicator rule}})
** B368/S245 ({{rl|Move}})
** B368/S12578
** B3678/S34678 ({{rl|Day & Night}})
** B37/S23 ({{rl|DryLife}})
** B37/S238
** B378/S23
** B378/S238
** B38/S23 ({{rl|Pedestrian Life}})
** B38/S237
** B38/S2378
** B38/S238 ({{rl|HoneyLife}})
** B38/S345
|}

==See also==
* {{CategoryLink|Guns}}
* [[Dieter and Peter's glider gun collection]]
* [[LifeWiki:Game_of_Life_Status_page#Glider_gun_true-periods|Glider gun true-periods status table]]
* [[LifeWiki:Game_of_Life_Status_page#Gun_pseudo-periods|Gun pseudo-periods status table]]
* [[Quetzal]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="entropymine_status">{{cite web|url=http://entropymine.com/jason/life/status.html |title=Game of Life Status page |accessdate=October 15, 2010}}</ref>
<ref name="golnews201007">{{LinkGoLNews|2010/07/gemini_guns_1.html|title=Gemini guns|date=July 30, 2010|author=Adam P. Goucher}}</ref>
<ref name="thread1071">{{LinkForumThread|format=ref|f=11|t=1071|title=Guns in Life-like cellular automata|author=[[Matthias Merzenich]]|date=April 11, 2013}}</ref>
<ref name="post7466">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: c/7 orthogonal spaceships
|p = 7466
|author = Shannon Omick
|date = February 18, 2013
}}</ref>
<ref name="post28101">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: is this c/10 spaceship known?
|p = 28101
|author = Alexey Nigin
|date = March 6, 2016
}}</ref>
<ref name="post84423">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Stable signal converters
|p = 84423
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = October 22, 2019
}}</ref>
<ref name="post88186">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 88186
|author = Entity Valkyrie
|date = January 26, 2020
}}</ref>
<ref name="post97489">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Construction practice
|p = 97489
|author = Entity Valkyrie
|date = May 22, 2020
}}</ref>
</references>

==External links==
* {{LinkWikipedia|Gun_(cellular_automaton)}}
* {{LinkLexicon|lex_g.htm#gun}}
* {{LinkLexicon|filename=lex_d.htm#doublebarrelled|patternname=Double-barrelled}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1657|title=Execution of Old Guns by Variable-Speed Firing Squad}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-09-27T16:59:36Z

Dvgrn: move p38 glider gun from /editcopy

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''September 27''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=235953#p235953 reduces] the [[unsynthesizable still life]] record again, from 154 live cells in a 252-cell self-forcing patch to 153 live cells in a 245-cell patch.
* '''September 25''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=235812#p235812 discovers] a [[period-38 glider gun]] engine using a partial by [[Period1GliderGun]]; the gun was subsequently reduced by several other contributors.
* '''September 14''': [[ENDW]]’s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=235116#p235116 first forum post] contains an implementation of [[Goldtiger997]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207398#p207398 proposed] [[omniship]] design with velocity (16,9)c/60 and period 600000000. This design allows the construction of spaceships for all non-orthogonal velocities strictly below the spaceship [[speed limit]].
* '''September 11''': [[russellsprouts]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234959#p234959 constructs] the first [[Langton's Ant]] emulator in Life not based on the [[0E0P metacell]].
* '''September 11''': [[I6_I6]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234958#p234958 constructs] the first [[self-synthesizing]] [[reflectorless rotating oscillator]] in Life; [[Goldtiger997]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Reflectorless_rotating_oscillator#Engineered_RROs previous design] was not truly self-synthesizing.
* '''September 10-11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234911#p234911 constructs] the first c/6 diagonal puffer, using a reaction by [[Hunter]]. [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234923#p234923 constructs] some smaller examples the next day. While c/6 diagonal puffers based on the [[Speed Demonoid]] design are possible, none have yet been constructed, and any such puffer would be much larger.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews/editcopy

2026-09-27T16:56:19Z

Dvgrn: move p38 gun to CurrentNews

[[Category:Main page templates]]
The OCA CurrentNews news item submissions page can be found at [[Template:OCACurrentNews/editcopy]]; it follows the same style guide as this template.
----

LifeWiki:News archive

2026-09-27T09:33:14Z

Dvgrn: move August to archive

The following is a list of past news items that ran on the [[Main Page]].

==Current news==
The [[Template:CurrentNews|following news items]] are currently live on the [[Main Page]]:
{{CurrentNews|nolinks=true}}
==2026==
* '''August 14''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=233142#p233142 posts] 'stentor', a more efficient redesign of a [[(23,5)c/79]] spaceship distinct from the [[waterbear]]; in Real Life, a stentor is a trumpet-shaped protozoan on the same order of size as a tardigrade.
* '''August 7''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=232642#p232642 proves] that there are no period-2 spaceships that are [[polyomino]]es.
* '''August 5''': [[ElijahKen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=232523#p232523 constructs] the first [[Demonoid]] to fully fit inside a [[Lifeviewer]] window.
* '''July 26''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=231968#p231968 discovers] the first [[period-39 glider gun]] based on a [[dependent reflector]] by [[Nora Brown]]. This was the highest unsolved period and the last remaining multiple of 3. Only seven periods are still unsolved: 17, 19, 23, 26, 29, 31, and 38.
* '''July 23''': [[GilGil]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=231887#p231887 re-creates] previous macro-pattern "printer" functionality using (12,4)c/62 [[solifuge]] technology.
* '''June 22''': [[Brithos]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=230117#p230117 first-ever forum post] contains a very large completed [[Unnamed_(28,3)c/84_spaceship|engineered spaceship]] based on the [[(28,3)c/84 Herschel climber]] reaction.
* '''June 12''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229719#p229719 solves] another frontier synthesis problem, [[37P3H1V0.1]], by creating a component that can add an extension onto [[25P3H1V0.1]]; only three known 37-bit spaceships ([[37P3H1V0.2]], [[37P4H1V0]], and [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d/b3s23 xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d]) are now without known syntheses.
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 116 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 23''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228999#p228999 uses LightCone] to find a new [[Spartan]] glider-to-R-pentomino [[converter]] starting with a glider-activated pi explosion, with repeat time 187.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].
* '''April 30''' [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1849&p=228477#p228230 finds] a new stable G-to-X -- a [[glider]] to [[R-pentomino]] [[converter]] with a [[repeat time]] of 194 ticks.
* '''April 25''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=228088#p228078 constructs] the first [[oblique]] [[sawtooth spaceship]].
* '''April 24''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228048#p228048 posts] the first in a series of [[Demonoid]] spaceships with four-digit populations, radically smaller than any previous design, due to the hyper-optimized Snarkmaker and further contributions by [[russellsprouts]]; a major improvement is a [[Oncoming glider gun construction arm|completely new mechanism]] for a much more efficient [[construction arm]] than the standard [[single-channel]] design, using a temporary [[Simkin glider gun]] to produce slow salvos with less than three input gliders per output glider on average.
* '''April 9''': [[russellsprouts]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=227620#p227620 publishes] a hyper-optimized [[single-channel]] [[Snarkmaker]] recipe consisting of just 266 gliders -- nearly an order of magnitude improvement over the previous standard 2428-glider recipe that has been used in many [[self-constructing]] patterns.
* '''March 31''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=227310#p227310 builds] a fifth [[unidimensional spaceship]] with a ten-digit simplified velocity; previous editions all had eleven-digit simplified velocities.
* '''March 17''': [[ElijahKen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=226884#p226884 uses slmake] to assemble two [[self-constructing]] [[oblique spaceship]]s, an ibisship and a flamingoship, with [[single-channel]] construction recipes and a much simpler design than the original [[Gemini]] ibisship; the flamingoship is the first ship constructed in Conway's Life with a (6m,m) offset.
* '''February 22''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225881#p225881 constructs] a gun for [[25P3H1V0.1]] using a sparker-assisted synthesis requiring only 12 gliders.
* '''February 21''': [[siffrin normal]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225892#p225892 discovers] a new smallest period-103 oscillator, [[Siffrin's p103]], in a [[D4_x4]]-symmetric soup. With a minimum population of 68 cells, this is over 100 cells smaller than the [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xp103_yzyzyv33y58e1e88gzyzyzyzy3330311ybckzyzyzyz03224e6y725acy165lozyzyzylgs2552ypggzyzyzyxo8a6yf11zyzyzyma64y8742zzzzzyzyz4kcy86c2zzzzzyzy9gcoy8ca8zzzzzymg8oy88okzyo1ok46zy433ypg88ge2z6a8oy1ck8gy7os8gggy611z0bdy41y4g0ggy11zyd255t0t5y5ggzyh1y711/b3s23 previous record holder]. It is also the first known engine-based oscillator of this period, as well as the first to occur [[seminatural]]ly.
* '''February 20''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225769#p225769 discovers] a pre-pulsar-to-Herschel converter that can be combined with an older pulsar [[factory]] by [[Luke Kiernan]] to create a new Herschel conduit, R338. [[Jormungant]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225790#p225790 finds] a way to remove an awkward outbound glider by colliding it with the [[first natural block]] of the output Herschel, allowing many more connections to this conduit than would otherwise be possible.
* '''February 19''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225700#p225700 monomerizes] a [[T-nose]]d period-9 sparker found by [[siffrin normal]] on February 11. [[iNoMed]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225703#p225703 reduces] the size of the period-27 glider gun using this new sparker.
* '''February 16''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225566#p225566 designs and assembles] a working [[single-channel]] [[linear propagator]], with a bounding box less than 1/17th of the size (in each dimension) of the original 2013 linear propagator, with population somewhat lower also -- 83477 cells in many of the phases.
* '''February 9''': [[Evin]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225211#p225211 posts] two versions of a record-breaking "[[SlowSilver Demonoid]]", considerably smaller in bounding box and population than the previous smallest Demonoid, the [[0hd Demonoid]]; [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225193#p225193 produces] a version of the first SlowSilver Demonoid with a reduced bounding box.
* '''January 30''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224802#p224802 produces] a smaller unidimensional spaceship with a 776,525,415-cell bounding box, and a slightly higher velocity of 2c/27735693820; the previous version had length 795,435,669 and speed 2c/28409785756. [[I6_I6]] posted a 3,980,418-glider synthesis [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224804#p224804 the same day].
* '''January 18-24''': [[David Bell]] uses the new period-10 spaceship to construct [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224491#p224491 the first period-10 c/2 rake] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224234#p224234 multiple] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224390#p224390 families] of puffers, completing the collection of c/2 puffers with every possible multiple-of-10 period.
* '''January 18''': [[I6_I6]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224181#p224181 constructs] a gun for [[70P2H1V0.1]]. This is the first gun that fires a period-2 spaceship.
* ''' January 13-14''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223977#p223977 discovers] a new period-10 c/2 spaceship with a significant side spark. [[Hartmut Holzwart]] subsequently finds [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223993#p223993 low population] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224036#p224036 high-clearance] variants.
* '''January 11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223859#p223859 constructs] [[silk moth]], a (15,11)c/107 caterpillar-type spaceship using a reaction in which an [[I-heptomino]] non-destructively crawls along a glider wave while emitting an extra glider and leaving behind a block.
* '''January 10''': [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223840#p223840 discovers] a new H-to-R [[conduit]], HL150R, with a repeat time of 108 ticks.
* '''January 4''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223596#p223596 constructs] a [[Unidimensional spaceship 2|significantly reduced unidimensional spaceship]] that is over 4 times smaller and 4 times faster than the original.
* '''January 1''': The [[much smaller (34,7)c/156 spaceship]] wins the 2024 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition.

==2025==
* '''December 27''': A five-month-long collaboration concludes when [[vilc]] successfully [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223246#p223246 synthesizes] the final 23-bit [[still life]] for which no glider synthesis was known; a recipe is now available for all 1,646,147 [[strict still life]]s with 23 bits.
* '''December 23''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223059#p223059 assembles] [[giraffe weevil]], a [[self-supporting]] (28,7)c/448 [[giraffeship]], using a spine made of xWSS convoys that are arranged to release a glider whenever they encounter a block, while moving the block by (7,-28); this mechanism supports limited [[slow salvo]] construction equivalent to the arrangements of loaves in a [[Caterloopillar]], but allows for oblique rather than orthogonal travel.
* '''December 20-21''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222948#p222948 builds] two [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223006#p223006 "fleet puller"] [[growing spaceship]]s, where the tail end pulls a [[fleet]] along with it two diagonal steps at a time, if the fleet is present; otherwise a blinker is alternately created and destroyed.
* '''December 19''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222911#p222911 constructs] a very compact [[traffic jam]] signal injector based on the [[syringe]], with the same low [[repeat time]] (78 ticks, overclockable to 74 ticks but not 75 since traffic jam wicks are period 2).
* '''December 17-19''': [[qqd]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222856#p222856 creates] a stable [[Heisenburp]] device with a repeat time of 837 ticks that can detect passing [[solifuge]] spaceships -- or [[waterbear]]s or other oblique spaceships that use the same technology to turn LWSS streams 90 degrees at a corner. ElijahKen subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222920#p222920 reduces] the [[repeat time]] to 597 ticks.
* '''December 14-21''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222700#p222700 discovers] a "wave minstrel", a [[(2,1)c/6]] [[tagalong]] for [[Sir Robin]] that supports a connection to [[knightwave]] -- followed a week later by [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222977#p222977 another] completely new [[minstrel]]; these are the first new minstrel tagalongs since the [[baby minstrel]] appeared in {{year|2023}}. Both of them are tagalongs to the wandering minstrel, with initial sections that are different from each other and also from the connecting minstrel.
* '''December 10''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222522#p222522 builds] a [[stable]] MWSS-to-HWSS [[hammer]] (a device made only from stable circuitry that converts an MWSS directly into an HWSS) in response to a construction challenge.
* '''December 10''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222545#p222545 builds] an "exponentially spaced binary counter" in response to a construction challenge.
* '''December 9''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222483#p222483 constructs] a gun for a [[solifuge]] variant based on glider syntheses by [[hibiscus]], [[iNoMed]], and Goldtiger997. This is by far the smallest known gun for an [[oblique spaceship]].
* '''December 2-7''': [[Nora Brown]] constructs "[[solifuge]]" camelships with greatly reduced [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222287#p222287 bounding box] (with [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222342#p222342 slight additional reduction] by [[Elijah Ken]]) and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222422#p222422 population] using improved (12,4)c/62 technology; the new designs fit inside a minimal bounding box of {{times|315|287}} and have a minimum population of 1415 respectively.
* '''December 2''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=222136#p222136 completes] a [[Unidimensional spaceship 1|unidimensional spaceship]] with a speed of 2c/133076755768 and a bounding box of {{times|1|3707300605}} based on preliminary work by many other contributors.
* '''December 1''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7111 voting begins] for the [[Pattern of the Year]] 2024 competition. Users have until the end of December to cast their votes.
* '''November 30''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222000#p222000 constructs] a complete [[self-supporting]] [[Solifuge|(12,4)c/62 spaceship]], named "solifuge", based on an oblique [[crawler]] made up of four copies of a versatile [[LOM]]-based reaction; the spaceship is a tiny fraction of the size of previously known [[camelship]]s.
* '''November 29''': [[branoc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221972#p221972 builds] a new "B2D" unit -- a two-dimensional memory storage mechanism used by [[APGsembly]]-based calculators -- using components from [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214963#p214963 enofet's design] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214883#p214883 EvinZL's boat reactions].
* '''November 28''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221926#p221926 completes] the first-ever signal loop containing a segment of 5c/9 wire, combining previous discoveries by [[Extrementhusiast]], [[Simon Ekström]], and [[Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''November 24''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221791#p221791 updates] the original [[Thessalonic Demonoid]] to be fully Thessalonic (circuitry entirely made from eaters and blocks, with no temporary Snarks at any stage).
* '''November 18''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221591#p221591 discovers] a period-14 [[pipsquirter]] using a [[drifter]] reaction by [[Adam P. Goucher]].
* '''November 1-11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220821#p220821 confirms] that [[70P5H2V0]] is the only strict, symmetric, even-width, period-5 2c/5 orthogonal spaceship up to 70 cells, simultaneously showing that [[30P5H2V0]] and [[34P5H2V0]] are the only period-5 2c/5 orthogonal spaceships up to 35 cells. Amling later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221244#p221244 extends] these results to show that there are exactly three symmetric, even-width, period-5 2c/5 spaceships up to 74 cells and no additional period-5 2c/5 spaceships up to 37 cells.
* '''November 5''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221123#p221123 discovers] [[Hilton's p66]] via D8_1-symmetric [[apgsearch]]. This is the first period-66 oscillator to occur [[seminatural]]ly
* '''November 3''': [[qqd]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220926#p220926 finds] a direct conversion mechanism using only stable [[catalyst]]s, with a [[glider]] input and [[traffic jam]] output.
* '''October 27''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220431#p220431 confirms] that [[mazing]] and [[mold]] are the only period-4 oscillators up to 17 cells.
* '''October 26''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220366#p220366 discovers] a period-2 Rx130 [[Herschel conduit]] using only catalysts more [[Most_common_objects_on_Catagolue|common]] than [[eater 1]] and constructs a common-catalyst Herschel loop using this new conduit along with [[R64]], [[sidesnagger]], and a boat-and-toad glider eater.
* '''October 26''': The [[Golly Gang]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220354#p220354 releases] Golly 5.0.
* '''October 22-26''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://gitlab.com/mvr2/apgmera/-/commit/a6b0dff94cd8fe786ebf859cb742e5d2b6a2a35b implements] the remaining GPU symmetries for [[apgsearch]] (fourfold rotational and all reflectional types with diagonal lines of symmetry). Using this, [[siffrin normal]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220358#p220358 discovers] new oscillators of periods 7 and 8.
* '''October 23''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220160#p220160 substantially improves] a heuristic originally developed by [[Mitchell Riley]] for quickly identifying [[ash]] patterns containing objects from a desired list without triggering false positives from common objects.
* '''October 20''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220019#p220019 completes] a period-3 [[bouncer]] based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]]. This is the first fast period-3 [[colour-changing]] reflector to be found.
* '''October 18''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219897#p219897 completes] a [[Thessalonic Demonoid]], the first self-constructing spaceship with permanent circuitry that consists only of eaters and blocks.
* '''October 17''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219840#p219840 discovers] a small period-4 HWSS-to-B-heptomino converter and uses this to construct a compact period-8 HWSS reflector.
* '''October 5-13''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219697#p219697 confirms] that the [[glider]], [[crab]], and [[wings]] are the only period-4 c/4 diagonal spaceships up to 27 cells.
* '''October 9''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219505#p219505 discovers] a 6-glider [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for [[fuse with two long tails]], proving that every 12-bit still life can be synthesised with 6 or fewer gliders.
* '''October 4''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219224#p219224 confirms] that [[pseudo-barberpole]] is the only period-5 oscillator up to 15 cells.
* '''October 4''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219193#p219193 builds] a [[sawtooth]] pattern with a new front-end speed, [[c/8 diagonal]], based on two streams of gliders from c/12 forward rakes repeatedly catching up to a [[walrus]].
* '''September 23-October 4''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218791#p218791 constructs] [[gliderless]] guns for [[LWSS on HWSS 3]], [[MWSS on MWSS 1]], [[Coe ship]], [[loafer]], and [[2-engine Cordership]]. These are the first known gliderless guns for non-[[standard spaceship|standard]] spaceships.
* '''September 26''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218702#p218702 builds] a [[splitter]] for a specific triplet of gliders with a [[repeat time]] of 57, one tick smaller than the record set by Entity Valkyrie on September 7.
* '''September 21''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218322#p218322 produces] the first known gliderless [[sawtooth]] pattern, involving streams of [[LWSS]] pairs chasing a [[turtle]].
* '''September 2-15''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217959#p217959 further reduces] the [[Leaf_bug_2#Gun|leaf bug]] gun to a bounding box of {{times|82,038|71,679}}, which is more than an order of magnitude reduction in each dimension relative to the original design.
* '''September 10''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217747#p217747 discovers] SW28T249, a new and surprisingly simple [[Spartan]] Herschel-to-glider [[converter]] with a [[repeat time]] of 249 ticks.
* '''September 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217567#p217567 constructs] a stable duplicator for the LWSS-on-LWSS [[pseudo]]-spaceship with a repeat time of 58 ticks. This is now the lowest known repeat time for a stable duplicator of a moving object or pseudo-object, being 3 ticks lower than [[speed tunnel]]-based glider duplicators.
* '''August 29''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=216920#p216920 reduces] the [[leaf bug 2#Gun|leaf bug gun]] from a bounding box of {{times|1,097,252|829,150}} to a bounding box of {{times|124,834|117,922}}.
* '''August 18-22''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7031 starts a new thread] to track the remaining unsynthesized 23-bit strict still lifes. Progress is being made with a mix of approaches (e.g., new custom components to convert an already synthesized still life to one of the target forms, and also adaptations of soup-search results). An early list of 591 unsolved still lifes was reduced to below 450 as of August 22, and to 222 by September 10.
* '''August 14''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=216063#p216063 constructs] a gun for a variant of [[leaf bug 2]]. This is the first gun to fire a 31c/240 orthogonal spaceship.
* '''August 10''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215877#p215877 discovers] three closely related 2c/7 orthogonal spaceships, two of them bilaterally symmetric, based on a front end by [[shuich01]]. In terms of their {{times|23|28}} bounding box, they are tied as the third smallest known 2c/7 spaceships, after [[weekender]] and [[doo-dah]].
* '''August 5''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215632#p215632 further reduces] the repeat time of the [[2c/3 wire|2c/3]] receiver to 504 ticks.
* '''August 1-2''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215428#p215428 reduces] the repeat time of the [[2c/3 wire|2c/3]] receiver to 629 ticks using a new emitter which releases a glider and a [[Herschel]]; [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215500#p215500 the next day], [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] improves the repeat time to 570.
* '''July 26''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] and [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215098#p215098 complete] a synthesis of a 15WSS supported by [[pushalong 1]]. This is the longest [[overweight spaceship]] flotilla synthesized so far.
* '''July 24''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215056#p215056 completes] a proof that all [[overweight spaceship]] flotillas consisting of a single overweight spaceship supported on each side by a single [[standard spaceship]] can be synthesised. This proof relies on earlier work by [[Mark Niemiec]], [[David Buckingham]], [[Dieter Leithner]], [[Martin Grant]], and [[Evin]].
* '''July 23-25''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[KtT]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215037#p215037 complete] a synthesis for [[35P4H1V1]] in 41 gliders. This was the last known unsynthesised spaceship up to 35 bits, and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215062#p215062 leaves] 8 known ships up to 37 bits that are currently unsynthesised.
* '''July 20''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[KtT]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214835#p214835 complete] a synthesis for the previously unbuildable [[37P4H1V1.2]], in 49 gliders.
* '''July 19''': [[enofet]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199849#p199849 posts] a revised 2D memory storage device, capable of being plugged in to calculator mechanisms in place of the much larger and slower 'SQ' unit in [[Osqrtlogt]], which was constructed with 2010-era technology (no [[syringe]]s and no [[Snarks]]).
* '''July 17''': New contributor [[enofet]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214731#p214731 completes] a period-67108864 (2<sup>26</sup>) gun for c/11 Speed Demonoids -- definitely the first gun created for a c/11 spaceship!
* '''July 14''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214543#p214543 completes] a 139-glider synthesis for a 42-cell [[c/3]] spaceship, [[42P3H1V0]]; this is the first new c/3 spaceship synthesized since 2022.
* '''July 12''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214481#p214481 constructs] the final step of a [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for [[34P5H2V0]], and [[vilc]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214483#p214483 completes] the synthesis in 52 gliders (since reduced to 40 gliders). With a minimum population of 34 cells, 34P5H2V0 was the smallest known spaceship without a known glider synthesis. This leaves [[35P4H1V1]] and a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202880#p202880 handful] of [[overweight spaceship]] [[flotilla]]s as the current smallest known unsynthesised spaceships.
* '''July 10''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214373#p214373 discovers] a new elementary Herschel conduit, the third conduit with an "F150" rating; it has a [[repeat time]] of 136, due to using the Herschel's first natural block for cleanup rather than suppressing it.
* '''July 9''': [[David Bell]] uses a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214345#p214345 new backward Cordership rake] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214346#p214346 improve the minpop record] for a [[moving sawtooth]] from 540 cells to 374.
* '''July 3-11''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] and [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214066#p214066 reduce] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214120#p214120 four] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214423#p214423 remaining] 13-glider syntheses to prove that all 16-bit still lifes can be synthesised with 12 or fewer gliders.
* '''June 21''': [[Gustone]] makes adjustments to [[leaf bug 2]] to set separate new records in population ({{times|13179|6698}} at 24757 cells) and bounding box ({{times|12927|6576}} at 24814 cells); a further adjustment improves on both of those records, reaching {{times|12415|6315}} with population 24460.
* '''June 7-14''': A further set of design improvements allows [[Gustone]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=213261#p213261 complete] the [[leaf bug 2]], a record-breaking small macro-spaceship by any metric -- smaller than the [[0hd Demonoid]] in population (26571 vs. 27250) and smaller than the [[water strider]] in bounding box ({{times|13339|7107}} vs. {{times|14023|7309}}).
* '''June 1''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212696#p212696 constructs] an adjustable-period [[Cordership]]-based puffer with a new record minimum population of 249 cells.
* '''May 28-29''': [[shuich01]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212476#p212476 discovers] the first width-25 [[gutter]]-symmetric 2c/7 spaceship. This is the minimum possible width for a period-7 2c/7 ship with this symmetry type. [[iNoMed]] subsequently combines a component from this ship with older 2c/7 components to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212506#p212506 construct] an asymmetric ship which, in terms of its minimum population of 123 cells, is the smallest known 2c/7 ship that does not involve a [[weekender]].
* '''May 21''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=212197#p212197 discovers] [[Blackjack]], a 40-celled 'almost-glide-symmetric' p21 oscillator whose two parts shift a block diagonally in opposite directions with uneven phase shifts, similar to [[David Hilbert]].
* '''May 18''': [[b3s23love]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1452&p=212110#p212110 creates] a {{times|13|13}} "artificial soup" producing a [[2-engine Cordership]] together with debris; the previous predecessor with the smallest bounding box was {{times|14|14}}.
* '''May 15-17''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=211965#p211965 modifies] [[sawtooth 195]] (the smallest known sawtooth by bounding box at {{times|62|56}}) to start at {{times|57|55}}. Entity Valkyrie, David Bell and EvinZL reduce this to a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=212057#p212057 final bounding box] of {{times|48|50}}.
* '''May 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] uses a different hack to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=211900#p211900 find] 1558 new 2-glider still life conversion components, and 14608 3-glider components; upon running the transfer.py script, this is expected to reduce a significant number of syntheses.
* '''May 11''': [[Mitchell Riley]] uses a hacked [[QuFince]] fork to discover [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=211748#p211748 reductions to various syntheses], most notably {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_g8og806hbqicz122643|name=paperclip quad|style=raw}} 10G->8G, [[Cyclic]] 9G->8G, [[cha cha]] 12G->10G, {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_gs2ib8bi2sgz2egjk4kjge2zy0101|name=scrubber with four covers|style=raw}} 23G->16G, and {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_084ob8q4ggz114b2q342|name=square on four griddles|style=raw}} 28G->20G.
* '''March 9 - May 16''': Nick Poyntz ({{LinkCatagolue|xs52_br0raar0rbzqr0raar0rq|name=in Catagolue comments|style=raw}}) finds a 50-glider synthesis for quadruple eater 2 (a patch of the [[tablecloth]]), which DroneBetter, PK22 and KtT successively reduce to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=212010#p212010 28 gliders].
* '''April 16''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=210054#p210054 reduces] a previous population-624 moving sawtooth to produce a variant with a repeating minimum population of 584.
* '''April 12''': [[Shuich01]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209777#p209777 discover] a small [[lobster]] tagalong. This gives the first new period-7 c/7 diagonal spaceship since 2011.
* '''April 6-7''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209381#p209381 constructs] a [[sawtooth]] with a new record minimum repeating population of 168 cells.
* '''April 3''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209209#p209209 sets another new record] for the smallest known unsynthesizable still life, now down from 162 cells to 154 cells, with a [[Unique_father_problem#Reductions|self-forcing patch]] containing 251 cells instead of 272 cells.
* '''April 1''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209042#p209042 constructs] a "corner [[highway robber]]", a new design where gliders coming from two possible perpendicular directions are detected by the same bait beehive.
* '''April 1''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=208915#p208915 constructs] the first 2c/5 orthogonal [[Greyship#Types_of_greyships|against-the-grain greyship]]. Although this greyship uses patches of with-the-grain stripes, it differs from the hybrid greyship in that all with-the-grain patches have a bounded size, while the against-the-grain patch can be made arbitrarily large.
* '''March 26''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=208144#p208144 discovers] the first [[gun#True-period_guns|true]] period-18 glider gun, based on a partial result by [[Period1GliderGun]]
* '''March 22''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207651#p207651 discovers] the first period-14 [[independent reflector]], based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* '''March 21''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207549#p207549 discovers] the first period-15 [[independent reflector]], based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]].
* '''March 16''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207054#p207054 discovers] the first [[gun#True-period_guns|true]] period-14 glider gun. This is the smallest possible gun period.
* '''March 11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=206535#p206535 constructs] a hybrid 2c/5 [[greyship]]. This is the first 2c/5 greyship with an extensible [[against-the-grain]] section.
* '''March 4''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205815#p205815 discovers] a [[period-47 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[Caleb R. Hilton]] that is 85% smaller than the previous record holder.
* '''February 23''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205012#p205012 reduces] the bounding box of the [[period-35 glider gun]] significantly, using [[LLS]] to find smaller component p5 and p7 sparkers.
* '''February 20''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204578#p204578 discovers] a record-breaking small [[period-60 glider gun]] which, after being combined with a p8 [[filter]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204593#p204593 reduced] by [[iNoMed]] and [[hotcrystal0]], gives a [[true period]] p120 glider gun that is smaller than the true-period single-barreled [[Simkin glider gun]].
* '''February 17''': [[Chris Rowett]]'s [[LifeViewer]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204244#p204244 celebrates] its ten-year anniversary.
* '''February 11-20''': Manual and semi-manual searches, as well as search programs like Mitchell Riley's [[LightCone]], continue to turn up new [[Spartan]] conduits such as [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203970#p203970 HL226B], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203694#p203694 HF78B], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204585#p204585 HLx86B]; some of these are fairly compact and potentially useful in [[self-constructing]] circuitry, since they fill long-standing holes in toolkits used for adjusting timing parity and/or output color.
* '''February 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203792#p203792 discovers] the first 2c/5 orthogonal chicken wire [[greyship]].
* '''February 8''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203442#p203442 constructs] a record-breaking small period-80 HWSS gun based on a new p80 R-pentomino hassler by [[Caleb R. Hilton]]. This gun has the unusual property of being [[gliderless]].
* '''February 7''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses [[Logic Life Search]] to reduce the [[p28 glider gun]], making it the tenth period with a true-period gun smaller than the single-barreled [[Simkin glider gun]].
* '''February 6''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses [[Logic Life Search]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203178#p203178 complete] a single-engine p57 glider gun based on a partial result by [[ElijahKen]]. Subsequent reductions by Merzenich, ElijahKen, [[iNoMed]], and [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203255#p203255 result] in a single-engine gun that is 45% smaller than the previous 2-engine gun.
* '''February 3''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203003#p203003 discovers] and [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203014#p203014 synthesises] a new 32-cell 2c/4 orthogonal spaceship.
* '''February 1''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202848#p202848 synthesises] LWSS pulling [[Unnamed tagalong 23P4H2V0]]. At 32 cells, this was the smallest known spaceship without a previously known glider synthesis.
* '''January 29-31''': A flurry of activity [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202752#p202752 produces] a transparent-loaf-themed [[highway robber]] with record-breaking recovery time of 550 ticks, [[overclocking|overclockable]] to 537-544, with a suggested mechanism by [[Tawal]] and contributions by [[Louis-François Handfield]], [[Caleb R. Hilton]], [[confocaloid]], [[EvinZL]], and [[Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''January 31-February 2''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202694#p202694 invents] a novel mechanism for a new 31c/240 self-supporting spaceship, the [[water strider]]; over the next few days, the bounding box is then gradually reduced by more than half.
* '''January 28''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202525#p202525 discovers] a 19-glider [[synthesis]] for [[32P4H2V0]]. This leaves LWSS pulling [[Unnamed tagalong 23P4H2V0]] as the only currently known spaceship up to 32 cells without a known glider synthesis.
* '''January 18''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201924#p201924 discovers] a new record smallest-population unsynthesizable still life, population 162, with 271 specified cells in the self-forcing patch (124 ON, 147 OFF); this exactly ties the previous [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193510#p193510 271-cell record] for total specified cells.
* '''January 18''': An apgsearch haul by 'ASA-X Supercomputer' contains the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201903#p201903 first natural appearance] of [[long^9 snake]] from an asymmetric soup, almost a decade after the first occurrence of [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_31248gzy21248go/b3s23 long^8 snake] which currently has two dozen C1 occurrences.
* '''January 18''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201885#p201885 uses] a [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xp30_9f9zbrby18sq36z232xgwgzy0rgc77cgr/b3s23 small period-30 sparker] to reduce the areas of the classic [[period-690 glider gun]] and the [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/guntrue_360/b3s23 period-360 glider gun] by double-digit percentages.
* '''January 8''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201352#p201352 discovers] [[tarantula]], a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]] which, in terms of its minimum population of {{cells|58}} cells, is tied with [[spider]] as the smallest known spaceship of this speed.

==2024==
* '''December 31''': [[blah]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6808 posts a complete package] containing a 32-bit computer implemented in Conway's Life -- the "323" -- along with an assembler script, example programs, extensive HTML documentation and an MP4 introductory video. (!)
* '''December 30-31''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200626#p200626 constructs] an activation step for a [[synthesis]] of the c/5 orthogonal spaceship [[Kermit]]. [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200713#p200713 completes] a 343-glider synthesis through a collaborative effort with several other users.
* '''December 27''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200488#p200488 completes] the [[leaf bug]], a record-breaking new self-supporting 31c/240 spaceship with a smaller population (though larger bounding box) than the previous record-holding self-supporting spaceship (the [[waterbear]]).
* '''December 23''': Rei posts an [[APGsembly]] program that calculates and displays in the Life universe a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200299#p200299 plot of the Mandelbrot set].
* '''December 18-23''': [[Tim Coe]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200083#p200083 reduces] the size of the smallest sawtooth-based diehard from [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=169143#p169143 53×53] to 49×49, [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200295#p200295 reduced again] several days later to 47×47 by b3s23love; the resulting diehard's lifespan is much smaller than the 53×53 diehard's lifespan of 1826659985823844806 ticks -- i.e., the new lifespan of 1237975907532 ticks is only a record for the new reduced bounding box size.
* '''December 18''': [[User:Confocal|confocaloid]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200067#p200067 constructs] a [[Racetrack_(disambiguation)|racetrack]] oscillator showcasing a diagonal 5c/26 [[biblock]] [[wire]]; the wire is supported by an extensible p4 sparker found by Keith Amling [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190922#p190922 in July].
* '''December 14''': A significantly improved compiler and emulator package for [[APGsembly]] version 2 is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199807#p199807 posted] by new contributor [https://conwaylife.com/forums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3758 branoc], with new optimized arithmetic components, sample code and documentation.
* '''December 11''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199619#p199619 completes] a very high-clearance period-7 middleweight sparker based on a partial result by [[hotcrystal0]].
*'''December 5''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199295#p199295 completes] the first [[true-period|true]] [[period-35 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[iNoMed]] and [[hotcrystal0]].
*'''November 18''': [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198122#p198122 discovers] a small, direct [[H-to-MWSS]] conduit with a repeat time of 141 ticks. [[Period1GliderGun]] and [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198142#p198124 subsequently] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198137#p198137 find] variants that reduce the repeat time to 120 ticks.
* '''November 3''': [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197214#p197214 discovers] a new set of connectable Spartan converters with [[E-heptomino]] inputs, further expanding the set of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197272#p197272 known E-heptomino conduits].
* '''November 2''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197089#p197089 finds a way] to use stable catalysts to make a p2 [[traffic jam]] [[wire]] turn a 90-degree corner with no help from [[sparker]]s.
* '''October 28-30''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196777#p196777 builds] the first known [[true]] [[period-47 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[iNoMed]], after which the [[bounding box]] is reduced by more than a factor of four by several contributors over the next two days, from 311 × 289 down to [[Luka Okanishi]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196889#p196889 greatly simplified design] at 147 × 144.
* '''October 20''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196315#p196315 completes] a redesigned [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|(34,7)c/156 spaceship]] with a bounding box of (52514, 158980) and minimum population of 655,594; this is less than 1/38th of the population and less than 1/6000th of the area of the previous version of this spaceship constructed by [[Luka Okanishi]] last year.
* '''October 10''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/search.php?author_id=2896&sr=posts Anivec] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195741#p195741 rebuilds] an initial stage from Mitchell Riley's H-to-Gs into a [[Herschel]]-to-[[B-heptomino]] converter; [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195743#p195743 notices] that this is actually a known [[E-heptomino]] converter appended to a previously unknown Herschel-to-E converter, [[HRx93E]] -- which enables completely new Spartan Herschel conduits [[Rx155]] and [[R194]], among other things.
* '''October 10''': [[Mitchell Riley]]'s "[[LightCone]]" search program [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195724#p195724 finds] several new Spartan [[Herschel]]-to-[[glider]] converters.
* '''October 9''': [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1155&p=195651#p195651 finds] a synthesis for [[popover]].
* '''October 9''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195696#p195696 adapts] Kazyan's [[B29]] spaceship recipe to construct a period-84 gun, with a considerable reduction in size and period from the previous B29 gun (which was period 148).
* '''October 9''' [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195663#p195663 reduces] the glider construction recipe for the [[B29]] spaceship to 16 gliders, with an improvement to 15G by [[User:DroneBetter|DroneBetter]].
* '''October 7-8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195564#p195564 assembles] an adjustable-period oblique [[spaceship]] based on [[(2,1)c/6]] puffers and rakes, alternately building and then burning a (4, 2)c/6 [[bi-block]] [[fuse]]; the next day the spaceship is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195607#p195607 upgraded] to an adjustable-period 48+24N [[forerake]].
* '''October 4''': [[Alex Greason]] finds a large number of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195565#p195565 reduced-cost glider syntheses] by running an exhaustive search in "QuSrc" (a custom-modified version of [[QuFince]]) to inspect all possible 5-glider collisions with glider placements in a 15x15 bounding box.
* '''September 30''': AlphaPhoenix posts a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8pjrVbdafY YouTube video] walking through the process of starting with an arbitrary 16x13 target pattern and finding a 20-step [[predecessor]] of it; 20 steps might be the current record for an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196293#p196293 arbitrary pattern of this width] -- though AlphaPhoenix's chosen pattern was a p2 oscillator, so a very large number of trivial predecessors are known for that specific pattern for any backtracking depth.
* '''September 26''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=194858#p194858 notices] that a [[catalyst]] used in one of [[Simon Ekstrom]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190878#p190878 H-to-Gs from July 29] solves a very long-standing limitation of the stable [[F171]] conduit, reducing its [[repeat time]] from 227 ticks to as low as 120.
* '''September 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] finds [[Lx65 duplicator]], a record-breaking elementary [[Herschel]] [[fanout device]] -- a [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Lx65#Stable_Spartan_catalyst stable Spartan variant] of the known [[Lx65]] conduit, which until now has generally needed sparker support.
* '''September 4''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193512#p193512 makes available] (via a published script) a general synthesis method for all members of the [[Clock#Extensibility|long<sup>N</sup> clock]] family of p2 oscillators.
* '''September 2-4''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193366#p193366 discovers] a population-184 solution to the [[unique father problem]] with a self-forcing patch containing 283 specified (both on and off) cells and fitting in a {{times|16|20}} bounding box, each of these statistics being the smallest known. [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193510#p193510 notes] that a self-forcing patch with as few as 271 specified cells exists for this still life.
* '''September 1''': The [[Spacefiller#Synthesis|Spacefiller synthesis]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193430#p193430 wins] the 2023 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition.
* '''August 29''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193166#p193166 completes] a new smallest period-74 [[gun]] based on a partial result by [[Mitchell Riley]].
* '''August 26''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192907#p192907 discovers] a surprising period-96 [[B-heptomino hassler]] that combines the functionality of p45 and p51 hasslers [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192896#p192896 found] by [[Period1GliderGun]] a day earlier.
* '''August 23''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192750#p192750 completes] the RCT15 optimization project, reducing the tape length by roughly a factor of three from the first working RCT15 pattern -- and now constructing a working [[spacefiller]] instead of Alan Hensel's decimal counter.
* '''August 19''': After a quick sequence of syntheses by several contributors, [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192477#p192477 assembles a recipe] for the final unsynthesized 22-bit still life, xs22_8k487p8z39c321; the 22-bit synthesis project is now complete.
* '''August 14-15''': The number of unsynthesized 22-bit still lifes dropped to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192069#p192069 only 75] by August 14; by the next day, recipes had been found for more than half of the remaining still lifes.
* '''August 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191930#p191930 constructs] a fully rectangular against-the-grain [[greyship]].
* '''August 1''': Voting [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6646 begins] for the 2023 [[Pattern of the Year]] contest, with voting set to end at the end of August.
* '''July 31''': [[vilc]] shows an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191053#p191053 example] of a compact period-32 [[wire#2c/3 wire|2c/3 wire]] transmitter and receiver.
* '''July 31''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191044#p191044 proves] that the 140-cell [[statorless p3]] is the unique smallest possible statorless period-3 oscillator in terms of its minimum population.
* '''July 27''': A long-term effort by [[May13]] starting back in January brings the number of unsynthesized 22-bit still lifes down to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190727#p190727 below 400], with several people contributing more syntheses since then.
* '''July 26''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190627#p190627 discovers] [[86P118]], the smallest known period-118 oscillator, based on a partial by [[iNoMed]].
* '''July 16''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189896#p189896 reduces] the best known [[highway robber]] [[recovery time]] from 742 ticks to 651 ticks.
* '''July 4''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189015#p189015 improves] the repeat time of the [[wire#2c/3 wire|2c/3 receiver]] from 742 ticks to 708, using a [[bronco]], a [[Jubjub reflector]], and an alternate ship-and-beehive [[bait]] proposed by [[Simon Ekström]].
* '''July 3''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189000#p189000 recent optimization effort] orchestrated by [[Vort]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=186557#p186557 starting in June], with many contributions by [[confocaloid]], [[Louis-François Handfield]], and others, has greatly reduced the maximum and average sizes of guns with four-digit prime periods.
* '''June 30''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188787#p188787 optimizes] the [[2-engine Cordership]] seed to use 14 objects instead of 15; on the next day the minimum object count is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188864#p188864 reduced] from 14 to 12.
* '''June 30''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188784#p188784 completes] a period-66 [[crab]] [[gun]] using a variant of Goldtiger997's crab recipe by [[iNoMed]] that allows for low-period guns; [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188803#p188803 builds] a period-61 version.
* '''June 28''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=188666#p188666 improves] the cost of synthesizing a [[crab]] (an important component of fast self-constructing circuitry) from 14 gliders to 11.
* '''June 28''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188652#p188652 constructs] a period-89 [[loafer]] gun based on a very fast synthesis by [[Louis-François Handfield]].
* '''June 27''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[Entity Valkyrie]] set [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188611#p188611 new records] for a compact pseudo-period-16 LWSS gun, using an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188565#p188565 improved insertion recipe by vilc] from the previous day.
* '''June 27''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188596#p188596 updates] the digital-clock seed from May, to make it possible to compile it into a [[slow salvo]] using [[pslmake]].
* '''June 21''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188166#p188166 reworks] the June 11 "loafer bitmap printer" design to use much more compact orthogonal [[MWSS]]-based memory loops.
* '''June 20''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188020#p188020 constructs] the first gun for [[77P6H1V1|a c/6 diagonal spaceship]] using a synthesis found by [[Goldtiger997]] in January 2024.
* '''June 13''': [[whatislife]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187562#p187562 discovers] a [[stable]] 50-cell, {{times|18|14}} {{LinkCatagolue|xp0_wggy09ghuzwd54czwci96z31h88c1vg7p48czw11x1221|name=135-degree LWSS-to-G|style=raw}} using [https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/silk/ Silk], with an input file similar to the sample input used to re-find the [[Snark]] but with an input LWSS instead.
* '''June 11''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187367#p187367 completes] a small, nearly edge-shooting glider-to-loafer converter with p154 technology to match the repeat time of the known 8-glider loafer synthesis.
* '''June 10''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187352#p187352 discovers] (using [[Silk]]) a new [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Spartan_G-to-W-to-H glider-to-wing conduit], which can be connected to a known wing-to-Herschel conduit to make a [[glider-to-Herschel converter]] with only [[eater 1]]s and [[block]]s.
* '''June 8''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187167#p187167 posts] a period-10 [[pipsquirter]], made by combining a known period-10 [[Wire#2c/3_wire|2c/3 signal]] injector found by [[Dongook Lee]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187345#p187345 in 2015] with a new 2c/3-signal-to-pipsquirter [[converter]] from recent [[Silk]] searches.
* '''May 29''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=186198#p186198 posts] a [[one-glider seed]] for a complete 24-hour digital clock mechanism.
* '''May 5''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] reports in a new Discord thread the commencement of coding work on [[Silk]], a new CUDA drifter search program inspired by [[Mitchell Riley]]'s [[Barrister]].
* '''April 30''': [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=183857#p183857 posts] a modification of a partial [[Herschel]]-to-Herschel converter pointed out by [[Anivec]], producing an easily connectable and completely [[Spartan]] [[L141]] conduit with three output gliders including the [[FNG]] and [[SNG]].
* '''April 19''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] completes a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ9BBcskBjY "Herschel Tracks Tutorial"] YouTube video about creating custom oscillators using Herschel conduits.
* '''April 17''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] uses [[qfind]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2031&p=182823#p182823 discover] a new [[c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship that can support a wave [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2070&p=38229#p38229 found] by [[Park Shinhwan]]. Furthermore, it can also support various c/7 pushalongs found by [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[Frank Everdij]].
* '''April 8''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182059#p182059 constructs] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182092#p182092 refines] a puffer demonstrating that all sufficiently high [[c/4 diagonal]] [[rake]] periods are achievable. [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses this to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182134#p182134 construct] a clean p3532+4N rake.
* '''March 31''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=181579#p181579 builds] a complete 2c/3-wire-based [[pseudo-Heisenburp]] device with 742-tick repeat time.
* '''March 27-30''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=181171#p181171 completes] a 2c/3 receiver with a [[repeat time]] of 876 ticks, which [[Adam P. Goucher]] eventually improves to 742 ticks using [[staged recovery]] mechanisms; the previous record-setting receivers needed 964 or 970 ticks to recover.
* '''March 20''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180679#p180679 discovers] a period-26 [[bouncer]]-based reflector, the first independent reflector of this period, using components by [[Nora Brown]] and [[Dean Hickerson]].
* '''March 19''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180587#p180587 constructs] new p6 [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[greystretcher]]s in which the stripes are bounded by extended [[table]]s.
* '''March 18''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfmCyrfxkTM posts a YouTube video] about the discovery of the [[true]] [[period-15 glider gun]] and [[period-16 glider gun]], and the history leading up to those discoveries.
* '''March 17''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=180474#p180474 discovers] the first period-16 90-degree independent [[reflector]] based on a suggestion by [[Matthias Merzenich]], using the [[period-16 glider gun]] to hassle a honey farm predecessor and produce a [[banana spark]]. 90-degree reflectors are known for all periods except 14, 17, and 19 with periods 15, 23, and 26 having only [[dependent reflector]]s.
* '''March 16-17''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180367#p180367 completes] a new [[c/4 diagonal]] unstable [[puffer engine]] (only the third known puffer engine at this speed) based on a partial result by Matthias Merzenich. [[Caleb R. Hilton]] uses sparkers to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180370#p180370 stabilise] the unstable engine into explicit puffers. [[David Bell]] uses this engine to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180388#p180388 construct] the first p52 c/4 diagonal rake, and "b3s23love" and Merzenich use it to substantially [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180390#p180390 reduce] the size of the p108 c/4 diagonal rake.
* '''March 12''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180119#p180119 discovers] a population-236 solution to the [[unique father problem]] with a self-forcing patch containing 389 specified (both on and off) cells and fitting in a {{times|22|20}} bounding box, each of these statistics being the smallest known.
* '''March 12''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180102#p180102 completes] the first [[c/4 diagonal]] backward-to-sideways glider reflector using reactions by [[Keith Amling]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]]. Using one of Bell's glider-releasing reactions and a beehive-to-ship converter by Amling, Merzenich [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180103#p180103 constructs] the first c/4 diagonal p28 rake and demonstrates the existence of rakes at periods 32, 36, and 40.
* '''March 9''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179932#p179932 shows] that a previously known "double beehive push catalyst" found by Tanner Jacobi in December 2020 can serve as a [[2c/3 wire]] input conduit for either a single wire or two perpendicular wires, with a repeat time of only 100 ticks; [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179942#p179942 finds a way] to activate the catalyst with a single passing [[Herschel]] with repeat time 176, and [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179988#p179988 points out] a reset mechanism with a repeat time as low as 56 ticks (eventually reduced to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180709#p180709 42 ticks]).
* '''March 1''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179391#p179391 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-15 glider gun]] using a [[B-heptomino_hasslers#p15|B-heptomino hassler]] by [[Carson Cheng]] hours after finding the first p16 gun. Period-15 is now the smallest period for which a true-period gun is known.
* '''February 29''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179363#p179363 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-16 glider gun]] using [[Charity's p16]] and a [[B-heptomino_hasslers#p16|B-heptomino hassler]] by [[Nora Brown]]. Period-16 is now the smallest period for which a true-period gun is known.
* '''February 26''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179093#p179093 discovers] a period-6 c/2 [[greystretcher]] in which the stripes are bounded by [[coiled snake]]s.
* '''February 24''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178897#p178897 completes] a non-period-doubling stabilization of iNoMed's p19 partial, which also allows for a stabilization of the wick. The result is [[goban]], the second known period-19 oscillator. [[EvinZL]] notes that there are two variants with slightly different connection points.
* '''February 23''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178793#p178793 discovers] that a period-19 partial result by [[iNoMed]] can be completed with a period-doubling catalyst, giving a period-38 oscillator. [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178803#p178803 notices] that the p19 component can be extended to form a wick.
* '''February 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178796#p178796 discovers] two different [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher|stretchers]] for a pair of [[coiled snake]]s.
* '''February 18''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178449#p178449 notices] that a previously unrecognized pattern by [[Mitchell Riley]] from September 7, 2022 is actually a complete period-171 oscillator and is in fact the smallest known p171 oscillator.
* '''January 29-February 2''': [[Keith Amling]], with some help from [[Matthias Merzenich]], discovers new [[c/4 diagonal]] spaceships ([https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176777#p176777], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176789#p176789], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=177108#p177108]) capable of eating a variety of objects including ships, blocks, boats, beacons, beehives, barges, loaves, tubs, toads, and mangoes.
* '''January 26-28''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176602#p176602 completes] a 259-[[glider synthesis]] of [[77P6H1V1]], making it the first [[c/6 diagonal]] spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''January 22''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176315#p176315 discovers] the first [[true-period|true]] [[period-53 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[goldenratio]].
* '''January 20''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://cp4space.hatsya.com/2024/01/20/every-finite-phoenix-has-period-2/ proves] that every finite [[phoenix]] has period 2.
* '''January 14-15''': [[Keith Amling]] discovers [[c/4 diagonal]] eaters for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175711#p175711 blocks] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175747#p175747 blinkers] and uses the block eater to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175765#p175765 construct] the first period-40 c/4 diagonal ship. [[David Bell]] and [[May13]] use these to reduce the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175776#p175776 p72], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175738#p175738 p80], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175767#p175767 p116] [[rake]]s. [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175754#p175754 notices] that an incidental reaction in the blinker eater allows a known ship to eat a glider stream and can also be used to complete the first c/4 diagonal ships of periods 28, 32, and 36.
* '''January 10-13''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175654#p175654 proves] that no finite [[phoenix]] oscillators exist at periods 3 through 69.
* '''January 9-12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175284#p175284 discovers] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175495#p175495 reduces] the first period-9 [[c/3 orthogonal|c/3]] [[backrake]], the lowest possible period for a c/3 rake. [[May13]], [[Evin]], Merzenich, and Amling use this to construct the first c/3 rakes of periods [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175304#p175304 18], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175309#p175309 63], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175312#p175312 99], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175358#p175358 117], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175312#p175312 126].
* '''January 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175245#p175245 reduces] the known upper bound on the average [[agar]] [[density]] from 320/559 ≈ 0.572 to 1176/2087 ≈ 0.563. The highest average density is conjectured to be 1/2.
* '''January 5''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1074&p=174903#p174903 discovers] (using [[qfind]]) the first period-9 4c/9 orthogonal spaceship in a [[Life-like cellular automaton]] (B3567/S14578), fitting within a {{times|19|676}} bounding box in one phase.
* '''January 1''': [[Layz Boi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1074&p=174682#p174682 discovers] (using [[WLS]]) two new p2 lightspeed [[spaceship]]s in [[Life-like cellular automaton|Life-like rules]] containing both B2 and B3 but not B0 or B1, increasing the number of such rules in which spaceships are known to 10 (of the 8192 without S0 that have not been disproved).

==2023==
* '''December 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] uses [[QuFince]] to find a 15-glider synthesis for the last remaining 17-bit still life that had cost 16 gliders -- completing the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174201#p174201 "17-in-15" project].
* '''December 21-29''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173858#p173858 finds] a c/4 p80 puffer, which several days later is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174473#p174473 cleaned up] by [[David Bell]] (and independently by May13) to produce complete c/4 p80 [[rake]]s.
* '''December 20''': [[Luke Kiernan]] uses [[Barrister]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1849&p=173771#p173771 complete] a [[boojum reflector]] variant with a different output glider -- which also implies a new G-to-R based on the [[Herschel receiver]] and a stable 4hd [[lane]] [[shifter]] based on the [[glider stopper]].
* '''December 19-21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173671#p173671 discovers] a period-8 [[c/4 diagonal]] [[rake]]. Other users find various applications for this, including [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173853#p173853 a p72 rake] by [[praosylen]] with a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173858#p173858 reduction] by [[May13]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173906#p173906 filtered] to p144 by [[David Bell]].
* '''December 17''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173506#p173506 discovers] [[Snark64]], a new color-preserving 90-degree [[glider]] [[reflector]] with repeat time 64 -- useful for synchronization problems, since it has a different output [[parity]] from the [[Snark]].
* '''December 16-26''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173480#p173480 reduces] the known upper bound on the average [[agar]] [[density]] from 8/13 ≈ 0.615 to 17/28 ≈ 0.607. [[NooneAtAll3 ]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174190#p174190 reduces] this further to 320/559 ≈ 0.572.
* '''December 12''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173166#p173166 finds] a compact [[glider]] to [[wing]] to [[LWSS]] converter.
* '''December 10''': [[Keith Amling]] proves ([https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172934#p172934], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172938#p172938]) that there are no [[phoenix]] oscillators of periods 7, 9, or 11.
* '''December 10''': [[Alex Greason]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172853#p172853 discovers] a 5-glider [[synthesis]] for [[amphisbaena]], proving that all [[:Category:Strict_still_lifes_with_11_cells|11-cell still lifes]] can be synthesized with 5 or fewer gliders.
* '''December 8''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172734#p172734 discovers] a new type of [[c/5 diagonal]] [[wickstretcher]] for a period-2 wick.
* '''December 2''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172367#p172367 constructs] a (6,3)c/1024 [[knightship caterpillar]] with an almost completely new support mechanism, re-using only the [[over-unity]] glider production mechanism from the [[half-baked knightship]].
* '''November 29''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172182#p172182 discovers] a new longest-lasting known [[natural]] [[diehard]], a {{times|16|16}} [[soup]] lasting 1,413 generations before completely dying out, via [[apgsearch]].
* '''November 22''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171705#p171705 proves] that [[37P4H1V0]] is the unique smallest possible period-4 [[c/4 orthogonal]] spaceship in terms of its minimum population of 37 cells.
* '''November 18-December 2''': David Bell [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171415#p171415 extends] earlier work on [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170856#p170856 period-116 c/4 spaceships] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171051#p171051 c/4 rakes] by EvinZL and May13, respectively.
* '''November 16''': Several people extend a new [[beehive]] [[factory]] partial by [[Mitchell Riley]] to produce [[conduit]]s, usually with [[repeat time]] 90, that convert gliders to [[G-to-X_(November_2023)|other active objects]].
* '''November 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171254#p171254 proves] that [[30P5H2V0]] is the unique smallest possible period-5 [[2c/5 orthogonal]] spaceship in terms of its minimum population of 30 cells.
* '''November 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171092#p171092 discovers] [[44P49]], the smallest known period-49 oscillator, which quickly leads to a number of related [[SKOP]] records being broken.
* '''November 12-13''': [[Keith Amling]] completes a census of all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171012#p171012 period-3 ships up to 49 cells] and all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171031#p171031 period-2 ships up to 80 cells] which discovers 6 new c/3 ships and proves that [[64P2H1V0]] is the smallest possible period-2 ship.
* '''November 8-10''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170685#p170685 discovers] a high-clearance variant of a known p28 [[c/4 diagonal]] puffer and combines two such engines to form a p116 puffer. Two days later, [[praosylen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170835#p170835 modifies] the p116 puffer to form a [[dirty rake]] and [[Evin]] uses this dirty rake to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170856#p170856 construct] a clean p116 rake. The previous lowest known c/4 diagonal rake period was 4508.
* '''November 2''': affamatodidio [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170361#p170361 finds] and EvinZL reduces a [[Spartan]] 180-degree same-lane [[glider]] [[reflector]] with the same timing as [[Jubjub]].
* '''October 22''': iNoMed [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169611 finds] a new [[period-201 glider gun]] engine, the first engine of that period to be found and the smallest gun of that period by bounding box.
* '''October 20''': Nora Brown [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169492 finds] a new p41 engine, the [[p41 pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''October 12''': iNoMed combines an engine by Luke Kiernan and a sparker by Carson Cheng to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169035 create] the first p81 engine, a p81 [[Pi-heptomino hasslers#p81|pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''October 9''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168887#p168877 finds] a toggle-safe [[glider to block]] [[converter]].
* '''October 5''': [[Tim Coe]] adds [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168544#p168544 two more levels of tetration] to the lifespan of a 112×89 "diesuperhard", pushing the lower bound up beyond 13^^^3; the bounds are then moved beyond 17^^^3 on the same day due to improvements by [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Evin]], with a similar sized bounding box (116×86).
* '''October 5''': Based on a partial result by [[Mitchell Riley]], [[iNoMed]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1159398574103199794 completes] a p42 glider gun fitting in a 32×23 bounding box, making it currently the seventh smallest [[true-period]] glider gun.
* '''October 4''': [[Randall D. Beer]] [https://www.complex-systems.com/abstracts/v32_i01_a01/ proves] that no {{times|7|7}} [[Garden of Eden]] exists, and provides constraints on the population of {{times|8|8}} and {{times|9|9}} ones (which are not known to exist).
* '''September 15-28''': Collaborative progress on enormously long-lived [[diehard]]s continues on the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167981#p167981 "engineered diehards" thread], passing the threshold on September 28 of 11^^^3 = 11 ^^ (11 ^^ 11) ticks (where ^^ is the operator for tetration, i.e., iterated exponentiation).
* '''September 24''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167691#p167691 discovers] a period-76 shuttle for a pair of pi-heptominoes which, at 52 cells, is the smallest known oscillator of this period.
* '''September 23''': [[Evin]] discovers compact, stable glider [[pulse divider]]s with new period multipliers of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167612#p167612 5], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167615#p167615 11], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167642#p167642 12], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167615#p167615 4+6n]
* '''September 18''': [[Mitchell Riley]] discovers [[86P107]], the first engine-based period-107 oscillator, and the smallest known oscillator of that period.
* '''September 9''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166691#p166691 constructs] a new type of [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[agar ship]].
* '''September 6''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166490#p166490 completes] a period-6 [[c/3 orthogonal]] ship containing a simple [[wick]].
* '''September 4''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Unique_father_problem#Reduction constructs] a 278-cell unconstructible still life, smaller in population and bounding box than the previous minimum 306-cell version.
* '''September 1''': The 2022 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166268#p166268 concludes] with a tie for first place between the explicit 15-glider [[reverse caber-tosser]] and the unsynthesizable and limited-ancestor objects.
* '''August 31''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166120#p166120 constructs] the first c/3 [[Greyship#Types_of_greyships|against-the-grain greyship]] based on an idea by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''August 28''': [[Carson Cheng]], [[Mitchell Riley]], and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165969#p165969 collaborate] to find the smallest known p140 oscillator.
* '''August 27''': [[Mitchell Riley]], [[iNoMed]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165849#p165849 collaborate] to find the smallest known p126 oscillator. [[Nora Brown]] and [[iNoMed]] then use this oscillator to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165853#p165853 construct] a new record smallest p126 gun.
* '''August 26''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165834#p165834 discovers] the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] [[greystretcher]].
* '''August 11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164881#p164881 discovers] the first [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]]s and [[greystretcher]]s.
* '''August 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164825#p164825 discovers] a new type of c/4 orthogonal [[greystretcher]].
* '''August 1''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164406#p164406 completes] a [[R-pentomino hasslers#p93|p93 R-pentomino hassler]], the first engine-based period-93 oscillator, based on a partial result by [[Carson Cheng]].
* '''July 22''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=164021#p164021 completes] a [[period-41 glider gun]] using a design by [[Matthias Merzenich]] based on a partial result by [[May13]] and [[David Raucci]]. iNoMed subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164030#p164030 constructs] a much smaller p41 gun using an alternate design.
* '''July 21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163987#p163987 completes] a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[greyship]] with a record-breaking steep descent.
* '''July 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163972#p163972 discovers] a [[204P41|180° p41 dependent reflector loop]], the first {{period|41}} oscillator, proving that Life is [[omniperiodic]]. Brown also [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163993#p163993 finds] a related 90° p41 dependent reflector a few hours later. [[May13]] then [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164009#p164009 constructs] an independent [[bumper]]-based p41 reflector using the 180° dependent reflector.
* '''July 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163664#p163664 discovers] [[cribbage]], the first {{period|19}} oscillator, leaving period 41 as the only period for which no oscillator is known.
* '''July 13''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163639#p163639 discovers] and subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163643#p163643 reduces] the first engine-based {{period|59}} [[gun]] which is much smaller than the [[p59_dependent_reflector_loop#Other_uses_of_the_dependent_reflector|previous Herschel-based record]].
* '''July 6''': [[Darren Li]] [https://gitlab.com/ascendantdreamweaver/scourge releases] [[scourge]], an [[ikpx]]-like oscillator search program.
* '''June 29''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163131#p163131 discovers] the [[p71 dependent reflector loop]], the smallest known {{period|71}} [[oscillator]].
* '''June 29''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://github.com/nicobrownmath/LocalForce/tree/spaceship releases] a modification of [[LocalForce]] that can be used to search for [[dependent reflector]]s.
* '''June 16''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162720#p162720 discovers] fenceposts for a very thin period-8 wick that was first presented in [[Lifeline_Volume_3#Page_17|Lifeline Volume 3]] in 1971.
* '''June 11''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162576#p162576 disproves] the existence of 4-cell-high [[orphan]]s in Conway's Game of Life. 5-cell-high orphans had previously been discovered by [[Steven Eker]] in 2016.
* '''June 6''': The [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|(34,7)c/156 spaceship]] project, based on the [[(34,7)c/156 Herschel climber]], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162379#p162379 is completed] by [[Luka Okanishi]].
* '''June 2''': The [[Stable Storage Spaceship]] project [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162210#p162210 is completed] by [[Goldtiger997]], resulting in an [[engineered spaceship]] consisting of a [[glider]] colliding with a large [[still life]] [[constellation]].
* '''May 26''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161994#p161994 discovers] the [[Pi-heptomino_hasslers#p78|p78 pi-heptomino hassler]], the first engine-based {{period|78}} [[oscillator]].
* '''May 18''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=161675#p161675 discovers] [[mold on fire-spitting]], a previously unnoticed [[LCM oscillator]] which is the smallest known non-trivial {{period|12}} oscillator.
* '''May 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1107315680287653888 discovers] the [[p82 lumps of muck hassler]], the smallest known {{period|82}} [[oscillator]].
* '''May 11-16''': [[Andrew Trevorrow]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6015 makes available] two versions of a "HatLife" Glu script that can explore cellular automata running on tilings of the recently discovered aperiodic "hat" monotile.
* '''May 11''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161411#p161411 assembles] a very large [[stable]] [[constellation]] (22,620 ON cells) that acts as a one-[[MWSS]] [[spacefiller]] [[seed]].
* '''May 8-9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161321#p161321 discovers] simple wick-based c/5 [[greyship]] connections that allow the construction of new greyships and [[Wickstretcher#Greystretchers|stretchers]].
* '''April 23''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160785#p160785 completes] the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]] based on a partial result by [[Keith Amling]].
* '''April 21''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1099006580030185472 discovers] [[42P38]], the smallest known {{period|38}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160728#p160728 discovers] the [[p67 B-heptomino hassler]], the first engine-based {{period|67}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160719#p160719 discovers] the [[p68 century hassler]], the smallest known {{period|68}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 19''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160630#p160630 discovers] the [[p26 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known [[non-trivial]] {{period|26}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 18''': Forum user 'blah' [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160607#p160607 completes] a period-2^18 WireWorld metacell running in the Conway's Life rule.
* '''April 18''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160604#p160604 discovers] the first engine-based [[Period-49_glider_gun_(April_2023)|period-49 glider gun]] which is much smaller than previous [[Hotcrystal0_reaction#Generalized form|glider loop based guns]].
* '''April 10''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160290#p160290 discovers] a [[c/6 diagonal]] [[tubstretcher]], the first c/6 diagonal [[wickstretcher]] of any type.
* '''April 8''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160239#p160239 discovers] a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[barberpole]] [[wickstretcher|stretcher]].
* '''April 5''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160181#p160181 discovers] the first engine-based period-61 [[gun]] which is significantly smaller than previously known guns of this period.
* '''April 4''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160041#p160041 completes] a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[linestretcher]] with help from [[Matthias Merzenich]]. Merzenich [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160048#p160048 finds] an alternate solution to Amling's partial result soon after.
* '''April 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160180#p160180 discovers] a period-42 oscillator whose [[volatility#strict|strict volatility]] matches its ordinary [[volatility]]. This was the last composite period for which no such oscillator was known.
* '''April 1''': New smallest known oscillators of periods [[72P119|119]], [[51P384|128, 192, 256, and 384]] -- [[Table_of_oscillators_by_period|SKOPs]] -- are posted by [[Mitchell Riley]], and by [[iNoMed]], [[Adam P. Goucher]], and [[Carson Cheng]] based on the initial period-384 oscillator discovery.
* '''March 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159458#p159458 constructs] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159470#p159470 reduces] a new [[quartermax]] variant based on a partial result by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''March 21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159336#p159336 completes] a [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[agar ship]] for a high-density period-2 agar.
* '''March 19''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159240#p159240 assembles] a 1227-glider [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] based on a reduced final stage by [[Goldtiger997]]; optimizations are continuing, with a 1153-glider synthesis available on March 23.
* '''March 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159069#p159069 completes] a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[ants]] waveguide.
* '''March 13''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158923#p158923 completes] a 2373-glider [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]], reduced the same day to 2283 gliders (with more reductions likely).
* '''March 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158775#p158775 discovers] a [[c/4 diagonal]] [[barberpole]] [[wickstretcher]].
* '''March 9''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158774#p158774 discovers] a small elementary 0-degree colour preserving [[Stable reflector|stable glider reflector]] with repeat time 59.
* '''March 6''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158649#p158649 discovers] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158651#p158651 slightly reduces] a record-breaking small period-68 [[gun]] based on a new [[oscillator]] by [[Mitchell Riley]].
* '''March 4''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159163#p159163 discovers] a symmetric soup producing four copies of [[14P2.4]]. This means that all known still lifes, oscillators, and spaceships up to 15 cells have occurred at least [[semi-natural]]ly, although [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140882#p140882 some] have still not occurred [[natural]]ly.
* '''March 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158612#p158612 discovers] a record-breaking small period-52 [[gun]].
* '''February 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158264#p158264 finds] the activation step for a [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]].
* '''February 21-22''': The first occurrence of the 15-cell still life [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs15_321e88gzxca1/b3s23 xs15_321e88gzxca1] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158017#p158017 appears] in a random [[soup]] found by [[Charity Engine]]. Charity Engine also [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158077#p158077 finds] a second occurrence of this still life less than 24 hours later. This leaves the [[long|long<sup>9</sup>]] extension of [[snake]] as the only 15-cell still life not known to occur [[natural]]ly.
* '''February 17''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=157697#p157697 discovers] a [[c/4 diagonal]] [[linestretcher]] that can stretch lines with the closest possible spacing.
* '''February 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=157631#p157631 completes] a [[c/4 diagonal]] maximum-density multi-[[tubstretcher]] based on a [[wave]] by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''February 14''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=157535#p157535 discovers] a 6-glider [[synthesis]] of [[amphisbaena]], showing that every 11-cell [[still life]] can be synthesized with 6 or fewer gliders.
* '''February 13''': The [[Conwaylife Lounge]] Discord server reaches 1,000 members.
* '''February 2''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156856#p156856 discovers] an extensible [[wickstretcher]] and an [[agar ship]] based on the [[overweight spaceship]].
* '''February 1''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156771#p156771 completes], and Goldtiger997 later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156865#p156865 optimizes], a [[stable]] [[pseudo-Heisenburp]] device that detects a passing c/3 [[crotchet ship]] by removing its final [[anacrusis]] and then adding it back later.
* '''January 31''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156728#p156728 discovers] [[94P53]], the first known [[engine]]-based period-53 oscillator.
* '''January 24''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156408#p156408 discovers] a [[strictly volatile]] period-25 oscillator, [[Charity's p25]].
* '''January 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156338#p156338 discovers] a period-8 c/2 [[greystretcher]] component that uses blocks to stabilize the [[zebra stripes]].
* '''January 20''': [[Darren Li]] uses [[Open Science Grid]] and a modified [[ikpx2]] to find [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156206#p156206 a surprisingly small (2,1)c/6 tagalong], which can be attached to [[Sir Robin]], [[Sir Sprayer]], and various minstrels in a wide variety of ways, including a connection to itself.
* '''January 20''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156198#p156198 completes] a [[gliderless]] lightweight spaceship gun based on [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156185#p156185 a partial result] by [[iNoMed]] and [[Lucy D'Agostino]].
* '''January 17-19''': [[Carson Cheng]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156093#p156093 discover] small [[glider gun]]s for periods 70, 72, and 84.
* '''January 12''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155852#p155852 discovers] the [[walrus]], the first known elementary [[c/8 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''January 2-8''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155419#p155419 reduces] the minimum population record for a [[Max]] predecessor to 110 cells. Rocknlol subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=155703#p155703 reduces] this by finding a 107-cell Max predecessor, as well as a predecessor fitting in a record 21×19 bounding box.

==2022==
* '''December 29-31''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155354#p155354 finds] a 127-cell [[Max]] predecessor, the smallest such pattern known in terms of population. [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155419#p155419 improves this further] by finding a 112-cell Max predecessor, as well as a predecessor fitting in a record 21×21 bounding box.
* '''December 23-28''': [[Goldtiger997]] finds the key activation steps for another [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155161#p155161 66P5H2V0], and another [[c/4]] diagonal spaceship, [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1057593135489892382 37P4H1V1].
* '''December 13''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154825#p154825 constructs] a [[c/4 orthogonal]] "[[agar]] [[spaceship]]" escorting an adjustable-sized patch of period-4 "[[OWSS]] agar".
* '''December 12''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154792#p154792 discovers] the first known [[engine]]-based period-61 oscillator, a [[Pi-heptomino_hasslers#p61|p61 pi-heptomino hassler]]. This also becomes the smallest known p61 oscillator.
* '''December 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154748#p154748 discovers] a [[light speed]] fuse capable of extending a [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[wave]].
* '''December 9''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154625#p154625 finds] a [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] component for extending a [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]]. This gives the first known infinite series of synthesizable c/3 spaceships.
* '''December 5''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154464#p154464 discovers] [[taco]], the third known elementary [[c/7 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''December 2-3''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154361#p154361 publishes] a script for constructing a [[strictly volatile]] [[oscillator]] with any period greater than or equal to 945.
* '''November 25''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154110#p154110 finishes] a 99-[[glider]] [[synthesis]] of a previously unsynthesized spaceship, "[[brain]]", solving a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=22530#p22530 long-standing open problem].
* '''November 21''': [[gravity]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153956#p153956 discovers] another new [[Methuselah#Infinite_growth|puffer-based methuselah]] within {{times|20|20}}, this time lasting 126,932,978 generations.
* '''November 17''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153747#p153747 discovers] the first [[true]] period-34 [[glider gun]].
* '''November 15''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153564#p153564 completes] the 21-cell [[still life]] [[synthesis]] project. The project has spanned over a year and is the work of a large number of contributors.
* '''November 12''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153483#p153483 discovers] the [[p43 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|43}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 12-15''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153465#p153465 reduces] the cost of the [[reverse caber-tosser]] to 15 gliders, and produces a new [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153609#p153609 "RCT15" demo pattern] and associated viewer scripts.
* '''November 11''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153452#p153452 constructs] the [[Speed Orthogonal Loopship]], a new [[adjustable spaceship|adjustable]] [[loopship]] design.
* '''November 9''': A "[[semi-natural]]" [[Gosper glider gun]] [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/hashsoup/C4_4/o_hjWdgGhm7agu146534448/b3s23 appears] on Catagolue for the first time, in a [[symmetric]] [[soup]].
* '''November 8''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153274#p153274 finds] [[glider synthesis|syntheses]] for the last two 20-cell [[pseudo still life]]s.
* '''November 8''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153284#p153284 discovers] the [[diamondback]], which is tied with [[rattlesnake]] for the smallest known {{period|11}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 8''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153266#p153266 discovers] a dependent [[bouncer]]-based period-23 glider reflector using [[92P23|an oscillator]] by [[Mitchell Riley]]. This is the first p23 reflector of any type to be found.
* '''November 7''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153250#p153250 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-25 glider gun]].
* '''November 7-9''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153201#p153201 posts] an [[RCT]] demo pattern with all ash trails successfully cleaned up, and two days later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153348#p153348 completes] the remaining cleanup and construction tasks at the [[epicentre]] -- demonstrating in detail that any glider-constructible pattern can be constructed with exactly 16 gliders.
* '''November 4-6''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153058#p153058 discovers] the [[70P23|p23 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|23}} [[oscillator]] up to that point, and then [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153183#p153183 finds] yet another smaller p23 oscillator, [[55P23]], two days later.
* '''November 3''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153032#p153032 discovers] [[54P94]], the smallest known {{period|94}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 2''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153007#p153007 discovers] a small [[period-51 glider gun]], whose capped version is also the smallest known {{period|51}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 30''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152874#p152874 discovers] [[p73 lumps of muck hassler]], the smallest known {{period|73}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 24''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152606#p152606 discovers] a smaller period-32 [[glider gun]] using a new twin bees hassler.
* '''October 21''': [[Simon Ekström]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152460#p152460 discovers] [[NW-2T16]], a new [[Herschel-to-glider]] converter which [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152506#p152506 can also be used] to create the [[SKOP|smallest known oscillators of periods]] 89, 97, 101, and 103.
* '''October 20''': New user [[gravity]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152437#p152437 discovers] a [[List_of_long-lived_methuselahs#Puffer-based_methuselahs|puffer-based methuselah]] within a {{times|20|20}} [[bounding box]] lasting 13,629,876 generations.
* '''October 20''': Voting for the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5747 belated 2012 Pattern of the year competition] has been extended to the end of the year.
* '''October 8''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151938#p151938 discovers] [[34P20]], the smallest known non-[[LCM]]-based {{period|20}} [[oscillator]]. It is also the first known period-20 oscillator with [[volatility]] 1, although it is not [[strictly volatile]].
* '''October 3''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151727#p151727 discover] [[52P44]], the smallest non-[[LCM]]-based {{period|44}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 3''': [[cvojan]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151695#p151695 discover] a [[period-40 glider gun]] with a 27×20 [[bounding box]] - the fourth smallest of a glider gun with a unique period.
* '''October 3''': The [[Open Science Grid]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151700#p151700 discovers] [[76P86]], the smallest known {{period|86}} [[oscillator]], using [[apgsearch]].
* '''October 2''': Using parts of a new [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151696#p151668 extensible 8-engine Cordership], [[Brett Berger]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151675#p151675 completes] a pattern that produces a single glider stream with an irrational bit density, followed by another pattern that emits gliders in a line whose slope is the golden ratio.
* '''October 2''': [[cvojan]] and [[vivi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151670#p151670 discover] a [[period-24 glider gun]] with a 21×20 [[bounding box]], later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151697#p151697 reduced] to 20×20 by [[James Pascua]], making it the second smallest known glider gun with a unique period.
* '''October 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151681#p151681 discovers] a small [[p28 block puffer]] using [[apgsearch]].
* '''October 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151646#p151646 finds] a [[92P23|third period-23 oscillator engine]], a beehive-and-honeyfarm hassler.
* '''October 1''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151619#p151619 discovers] [[115P106]], the smallest known {{period|106}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 1''': [[Luke Kiernan]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151605#p151605 discover] the [[p68 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|68}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 27''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151430#p151430 discovers] the [[p79 pi-heptomino hassler]], both the smallest known {{period|79}} [[oscillator]] and the first of that period not based on adjustable-period mechanisms.
* '''September 23''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151303#p151303 finds] [[70P26|a new SKOP26]] ([[SKOP|Smallest Known Oscillator of Period]] 26), using an unusual [[catalyst]] [[constellation]] made up of an [[elevener]] plus a common [[ship]]+[[fishhook]] combination.
* '''September 22''': googleplex [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151285#p151285 completes] a previously unfinished [[c/4 orthogonal]] moving [[wick]] from the '''jslife-moving''' collection, adding a front end to a back end found by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''September 22''': A new period-86 [[R-pentomino]] [[hassle|hassling]] oscillator and [[Herschel]] [[factory]] is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151276#p151276 discovered] by Nora Brown, adjusted by iNoMed, and made strict-[[volatility]] by Nora Brown with several variants with different relative phases.
* '''September 14''': The [[Open Science Grid]] finds simpler [[glider syntheses]] for multiple [[oscillator]]s, specifically [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151006#p151006 5 gliders] for the [[caterer]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151012#p151012 6 gliders each] for [[bi-pentadecathlon 1]] and [[boat tie bipole]].
* '''September 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151003#p151003 discovers] [[108P59]], the smallest known {{period|59}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 12''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150930#p150930 discovers] the [[p94 R-pentomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|94}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150882#p150882 discovers] the first true [[period-43 glider gun]] and, as a corollary, the first non-[[Snark]]-based {{period|43}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 1''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150469#p150469 discovers] the [[p71 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known {{period|71}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 26''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150241#p150241 discovers] the [[p85 R-pentomino hassler]], which in its minimum form is the smallest known {{period|85}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 21''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149933#p149933 completes] the [[p129 R-pentomino hassler]] based on a partial result by [[Luke Kiernan]]. With only 38 cells, it is the smallest known {{period|129}} oscillator.
* '''August 16''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149645#p149645 discovers] new [[pi-heptomino hassler]]s of periods 35, 40, 58, and 160, while [[Carson Cheng]] finds a new [[honey farm hassler]] of period 24.
* '''August 16''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149677#p149677 completes] an "octo3g" orientation-agnostic hash library for the existing database of 3-glider collisions, allowing active 3G collision patterns to be searched in the same way as the previous octo3obj and octohash databases, with (probably) no false positives.
* '''August 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149466#p149466 discovers] [[p11 thumb]], a small {{period|11}} [[oscillator]] and the first with an asymmetric [[rotor]] to appear in an official [[Catagolue]] symmetry.
* '''August 9''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149347#p149347 discovers] a [[p45 pi-heptomino hassler]] with only 29 cells, making it the smallest known {{period|45}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 9''': The [[Open Science Grid]] begins contributing CPU and GPU resources to [[Catagolue]].
* '''August 8''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149315#p149315 discovers] [[R-pentomino]] [[hassler]]s of periods [[p49 R-pentomino hassler|49]] and [[p91 R-pentomino hassler|91]]. The former is the smallest known {{period|49}} [[oscillator]] by population, while the latter [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149322#p149322 can be turned] into the smallest known period-91 [[glider gun]].
* '''August 4''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149120#p149120 discovers] a [[p220 honey farm hassler]].
* '''August 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149077#p149077 discovers] [[34P7]], a small {{period|7}} [[sparker]] with similar functionality to the previously-discovered [[meatball]].
* '''July 30 - August 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148949#p148949 discovers] a [[semi-natural]] [[methuselah]] lasting 128,719 generations, the longest lifespan known for an [[apgsearch]] [[soup]] excluding those which continue to grow infinitely after "going boring". Three days later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149071#p149071 a second one] is discovered lasting 132,364 generations.
* '''July 29''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148834#p148834 discovers] the smallest known period-92 oscillator, a 44-cell [[LCM oscillator]] consisting of a [[mold]] interacting with a previously-overlooked spark from a [[twin bees shuttle]] variant.
* '''July 25''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148702#p148702 discovers] a new stabilization of the [[p44 pi-heptomino hassler]] using only [[block]]s and [[eater 2]]s, while [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148703#p148703 finds] a period-sextupling mechanism that works with all versions of the oscillator.
* '''July 25''': [[Simon Ekström]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148650#p148650 discovers] a small, stable 180-degree glider [[reflector]].
* '''July 25''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148649#p148649 discovers] the [[p82 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|82}} [[oscillator]].
* '''July 24''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148590#p148590 discovers]  the [[speed tunnel]], a [[Spartan|non-Spartan]] [[Glider-to-Herschel converter|glider-to-Herschel conduit]] with a repeat time of 61 ticks, which makes it the fastest G-to-H conduit discovered to date.
* '''July 23''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148557#p148557 discovers] a new {{period|22}} [[century]] [[hassle]]r.
* '''July 15''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/997664404323709048 reveals himself] as the author of numerous randomly-generated [[glider syntheses]] covertly submitted to [[Catagolue]] over the last few months, most notably a 4-glider [[bipole]] and a 5-glider [[octagon II]].
* '''July 15''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148274#p148274 discovers] an 8-glider [[synthesis]] for [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_dbgzw1qm/b3s23 xs14_dbgzw1qm], which means that all strict 14-cell [[still life]]s can be synthesized with 9 or fewer gliders.
* '''July 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148244#p148244 discovers] a new glider-releasing H-to-R [[conduit]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses it to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148237#p148237 reduce] the size of the smallest known [[true]] period 59, 61, 67, and 77 [[gun]]s.
* '''July 11-14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148173#p148173 discover] [[43P54]], the smallest known period-54 oscillator. [[David Raucci]] and [[hotcrystal0]] then use this oscillator to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148236#p148236 reduce] the size of the smallest known period-54 [[gun]].
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147980#p147980 discover] a [[200P199|period-199 oscillator]] whose reduced form also functions as a [[pipsquirter]].
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147972#p147972 discover] a [[p146 pi-heptomino hassler]], which is later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147977#p147977 monomerized] by [[Evin]] and [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/994432762603905074 reduced] to have a minimum population of only 52 cells.
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147943#p147943 discovers] the first [[non-trivial]] period-34 oscillator, [[74P34]]. Using a resulting p34 beehive hassler by "MAP bot", [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147953#p147953 completes] a p34 [[bumper]] reflector.
* '''July 6''': Based on a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147886#p147886 partial result] by [[Hartmut Holzwart]], [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147929#p147929 completes] a width-12 [[chicken wire]] [[greyship]] with a slope-0 back end, filling in the final gap in the collection of slope-0 chicken wire back ends.
* '''July 5''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147909#p147909 discovers] a new period-83 oscillator, [[62P83]], and [[iNoMed]] uses two copies to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147908#p147908 construct] a small period-83 [[glider gun]].
* '''July 2-3''': [[yaochen2]] and [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147829#p147829 discover] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147834#p147834 various] [[switch engine]]-based [[methuselah]]s within a 16×16 bounding box, including one lasting 4,764,364 generations.
* '''July 2''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147819#p147819 discovers] [[74P127]], the highest prime-period oscillator not based on adjustable-period loops.
* '''June 30''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147745#p147745 discovers] [[Charity's p16]], a relatively small period-16 oscillator.
* '''June 29''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147675#p147675 discovers] a [[glider synthesis]] for [[29P3H1V0]], meaning that all known [[spaceship]]s with up to 31 cells have a known synthesis.
* '''June 26''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147576#p147576 discovers] the [[p58 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known period-58 oscillator. Dani uses this to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147579#p147579 construct] a [[gliderless]] p58 lightweight spaceship gun.
* '''June 24''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147511#p147511 discovers] [[58P37]], the smallest known period-37 oscillator and the first one that can be used to create a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147512#p147512 period-37 glider gun].
* '''June 20''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147341#p147341 reduces] the [[p4-assisted period-28 glider gun]], making it the fifth-smallest glider gun with a distinct period and leading to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147342#p147342 additional reductions] to the [[period-14 glider gun|pseudo-p14 glider gun]].
* '''June 14''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147102#p147102 discovers] a [[p10 domino fountain|strong period-10 domino sparker]].
* '''June 6''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146680#p146680 completes] a c/2 wire width 2 [[chicken wire]] [[grayship]] using a dense wave front by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''June 2''': [[Keith Amling]], [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[Hartmut Holzwart]] collaborate to complete a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146504#p146504 new greyship front edge], allowing for rectangular and trapezoidal [[greyship]]s that mix different widths of [[chicken wire]] with a minimum width of 13.
* '''May 28''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146196#p146196 discovers] [[meatball]], a small {{period|7}} [[spark]]-producing [[oscillator]] which can be used in place of [[38P7.2]] in certain [[glider gun]] constructions.
* '''May 27''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146111#p146111 completes another stage] of a 16G [[RCT]] implementation, moving the project gradually away from "<i>we know vaguely how it would work</i>" toward "<i>we know exactly how it works</i>".
* '''May 25-June 2''': [[Charity Engine]]'s continuing focus on non-C1 [[symmetry]] produces [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145987#p145987 several] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146482#p146482 more] new p9 and p6 oscillators.
* '''May 18''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145728#p145728 discovers] [[30P25]], the smallest known {{period|25}} [[oscillator]] by population.
* '''May 10''': [[mvr]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145411#p145411 discovers] a [[p84 honey farm hassler]] with only 42 cells, the smallest known period-84 oscillator by population.
* '''May 10''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145414#p145414 modification] of the CatForce search program by [[mvr]] allows for a significant speedup -- and also includes a symmetric search option that has very quickly started finding interesting new circuitry, such as a new [[Spartan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145440#p145440 version of a known pi-to-2G converter].
* '''May 10''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145359#p145359 posts] reductions to two different oscillators: the p12 [[crown]], and the [[p44 pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''May 2''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144986#p144986 constructs] [[quartermax]], a [[quadratic-growth]] pattern that fills one quarter of the plane (instead of a half or full plane, as in [[halfmax]] and [[max]].)
* '''May 2''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144982#p144982 discovers] a new period-46 [[glider gun]] that does not rely on previously known [[:Category:Oscillators with period 46|p46 oscillators]] or on [[adjustable glider loop]]s.
* '''April 28''': [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144828#p144828 discovers] a record-breaking smallest p12 [[backrake]] using "WSS_Test", the modified [[apgsearch]] program that also found [[35P12H6V0]] (the record-breaking smallest p12 spaceship from February).
* '''April 27''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144795#p144795 find] a "self-forcing" finite patch of period-2 [[agar]], and Oscar Cunningham stabilizes the patch to produce the first oscillator with a provably unsynthesizable [[rotor]].
* '''April 25''': [[Andrew Wade]] uses his life slice spaceship search program ([[LSSS]]) to find a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144727#p144727 new 151-cell 2c/7 spaceship], and May13 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144728#p144728 produces] a number of variations based on it and known 2c/7 components.
* '''April 21''': [[dani]], [[Oscar Cunningham]], [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144536#p144536 collaborate] to reduce the number of gliders needed for any glider construction (via an [[RCT]] synthesis) from 17 to 16.
* '''April 20''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3552&start=400#p144490 finds] a new [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/gun_114/b3s23 period-114 glider gun] engine using two [[pi-heptomino]]es and four period-6 [[sparker]]s.
* '''April 16''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144315#p144315 posts] an example pattern demonstrating the [[reverse caber-tosser]] mechanism by constructing a [[shillelagh]], along with a massive amount of debris, in approximately 5.23×10<sup>615</sup> generations.
* '''April 15''': [[Goldtiger997]] makes available a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144242#p144242 Python script] that can assemble a [[Speed Orthogonoid]] for any rational orthogonal velocity below c/2 (with the usual practical limitations due to system resources).
* '''April 12''': [[iNoMed]] and [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144139#p144139 assemble] a new-record smallest [[period-36 glider gun]] using just one engine (the previous record-holder used two).
* '''April 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144121#p144121 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] via [[apgsearch]] exhibiting [[infinite growth]] whose center takes 225,593,194 generations to stabilize, [[Methuselah#Infinite growth|a new record]].
* '''April 11-14''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144077#p144077 completes] a [[diehard]] with a size similar to previous efforts, that takes '''much''' longer to die out completely -- initially on the rough order of <sup>8</sup>121 ticks, the eighth [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetration tetration] of 121, and improved past <sup>12</sup>121 ticks in the next few days.
* '''April 7-10''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144045#p144045 constructs] a [[diehard]] fitting within a 10,000-cell bounding box while having an exponentially long lifespan using a [[sawtooth]] design. With optimizations by [[toroidalet]], [[Dean Hickerson]], and others, this pattern lasts for ~1.33616×10<sup>1443</sup> generations before disappearing.
* '''April 6''': [[Goldtiger997]]'s [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143872#p143872 wins] the [[Pattern of the Year]] competition for 2021.
* '''April 4''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143798#p143798 finds] a [[20-cell quadratic growth]] pattern, the current record holder for the smallest [[breeder]] in terms of population.
* '''April 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143703#p143703 discovers] a pair of [[44P5H2V0]]s via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|5}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly. [[iNoMed]] and [[Goldtiger997]] use this soup to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143704#p143704 reduce] the 44P5H2V0 [[glider synthesis]].
* '''April 1-8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143667#p143667 completes] two [[Speed Orthogonoid]] spaceships, which can be adjusted to travel arbitrarily close to the orthogonal speed limit of c/2, similar to the [[Speed Demonoid]]'s adjustability for diagonal speeds arbitrarily close to c/4.
* '''March 31''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5616 forum thread] dedicated to [[diehard]]s, including engineered ones, is created, leading to the publication of constructions by [[Dean Hickerson]] and [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] fitting within small bounding boxes but lasting for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143574#p143574 tens of thousands] (and even [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143605#p143605 hundreds of thousands]) of generations before disappearing completely.
* '''March 28''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143452#p143452 discovers] a c/2 orthogonal [[wickstretcher|stretcher]] for a stable wick.
* '''March 27''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143450#p143450 finds] a 6-[[glider]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] of a [[breeder]], breaking the previous record of [[Switch engine ping pong|7 gliders]].
* '''March 23-27''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143277#p143277 finds] a 23×15 predecessor to a [[breeder]], beating out [[Luka Okanishi]]'s recent 26×18 pattern for the title of the smallest quadratic growth predecessor by [[bounding box]]. A few days later, this predecessor is further reduced to 23×13.
* '''March 22-23''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143253#p143253 posts] a series of binary slow salvo recipes for the 17-glider [[reverse caber tosser]] that greatly simplify the problem of producing a complete proof-of-concept of RCT construction... not that it's all done yet!
* '''March 17''': New forum user 'Game of Life Fun' [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143050#p143050 assembles] the first [[gliderless]] [[Gosper glider gun]] [[puffer]].
* '''March 12-15''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142708#p142708 finds] a small [[c/12 diagonal]] [[breeder]] using a custom [[apgsearch]] symmetry, with a 26×18 predecessor [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142715#p142715 found] by [[Luka Okanishi]] and [[22-cell quadratic growth|a 22-cell predecessor]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142738#p142738 found] by [[David Raucci]] breaking the records for the smallest [[bounding box]] and [[population]], respectively, of a pattern exhibiting [[quadratic growth]]. Three days later, [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142905#p142905 finds] a [[21-cell quadratic growth|21-cell solution]] with a different breeder.
* '''March 11''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142667#p142667 announces] the official launch of the textbook ''[[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]]''.
* '''March 8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142538#p142538 posts] an SSGRL ([[self-synthesizing glide-reflecting loopship]]) with a design similar to last year's [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]].
* '''March 4''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142429#p142429 discovers] a pair of [[dart]]s via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|3}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''March 4''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142407#p142407 discovers] [[30P3]], a custom-built {{period|3}} [[sparker]] which can be used to construct a record-breaking 51-cell p48 oscillator when combined with [[Rob's p16]].
* '''March 1''': [[iNoMed]] and [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142297#p142297 discover] the first p30 gun that does not use the [[queen bee shuttle]].
* '''February 24''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142084#p142084 discovers] [[58P8H4V0]] via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|8}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''February 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142060#p142060 discovers] [[232P7H3V0]], the smallest known [[3c/7 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''February 21''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141951#p141951 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] which takes [[Die hard|2,474 generations to die out completely]], beating the previous "messless [[methuselah]]" record by over 400 ticks.
* '''February 16''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141729#p141729 discovers] the [[p23 honey farm hassler]], a smaller {{period|23}} [[oscillator]].
* '''February 15''': dani [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141656#p141656 discovers] a new [[period-30 glider gun]] that uses only a single [[queen bee shuttle]] based on a symmetric 4-[[barrel]]ed gun [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141655#p141655 discovered] by [[Charity Engine]].
* '''February 14''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141620#p141620 discovers] [[p4-assisted period-28 glider gun|a smaller p28 glider gun]], with a [[bounding box]] of only 37×24, which [[iNoMed]] uses to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141628#p141628 construct] a smaller [[period-14 glider gun|pseudo-p14 glider gun]].
* '''February 13''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141608#p141608 discovers] a smaller {{period|62}} [[glider gun]] based on a glider-releasing [[wick]].
* '''February 12''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141568#p141568 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] containing a [[bi-gun]], making it the second unique [[gun]] to have occurred [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''February 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141492#p141492 discovers] [[32P21]], the smallest known {{period|21}} [[oscillator]].
* '''February 10''': On Discord, "mystical" [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/941302038409674752 uses a modification of apgsearch] to find a period-12 spaceship, [[35P12H6V0]], with a minimum population four cells less than that of the [[Schick engine]], which had been the smallest known period-12 spaceship for about half a century.
* '''January 29''': [[David Raucci]] makes the [https://www.conwaylife.com/w/index.php?title=RLE:Period27glidergun&oldid=100000 100,000th edit] to LifeWiki.
* '''January 29''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140915#p140915 completes] a [[true]]-period [[period-27 glider gun]] based on a reaction found by [[goldenratio]].
* '''January 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140777#p140777 finds] a synthesis of another [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [[70P5H2V0]], based on a final step [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140650#p140650 completed on January 23rd].
* '''January 17''': [[goldenratio]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140411#p140411 discover] the [[p39 pi-heptomino hassler]], the first {{period|39}} [[oscillator]] not based on an [[LCM]] or glider loop mechanism.
* '''January 13''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140258#p140258 solve] the [[unique father problem]] in the positive, providing a 32×26 [[still life]] that cannot be constructed from scratch by any means.
* '''January 12''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140183#p140183 discovers] [[44P38]], the first {{period|38}} [[oscillator]].
* '''January 11''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140089#p140089 constructs] the first [[pseudo-period]] 16 and 17 [[LWSS]] and [[MWSS]] [[gun]]s. Period 16 is the minimum possible period for a MWSS gun.
* '''January 10''': [[James Pascua]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140094#p140094 reduces] the [[period-48 glider gun]] to a bounding box of 31×16 - beating [[Three quarters traffic light catalyst|period 46]] for the title of second-smallest known [[glider gun]]. As a corollary, the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140108#p140108 smallest known] period-96 [[oscillator]] now consists of a p48 gun with a [[boat-bit]].
* '''January 10''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140063#p140063 completes] a 74-glider synthesis of [[Orion 2]], making it the fifth [[c/4 diagonal]] spaceship (not including the glider!) with a known synthesis.
* '''January 6''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139854#p139854 solve] a generalized version of the [[grandfather problem]], proving that for every natural number n, there exists a pattern that has an n-tick predecessor but not an (n+1)-tick predecessor.
* '''January 4''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139761#p139761 further reduces] the [[p32 honey farm hassler]] to only 45 cells.
* '''January 3''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139701#p139701 discovers] a smaller [[p143 Bandersnatch loop]], using only relatively small [[still life]]s, and later [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139714#p139714 constructs] a 58-glider [[synthesis]] of it.

==2021==
* '''December 31''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] finds (and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139666#p139666 posts a few days later]) a 6x3 [[still-life]]-compatible region that can be extended into an infinite [[agar]] that has no predecessors other than itself.
* '''December 21''': [[goldenratio]], [[iNoMed]], and [[praosylen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139175#p139175 construct] a smaller [[period-48 glider gun]], with a bounding box of 35×16, the third-smallest of any known unique-period gun.
* '''December 19''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139044#p139044 completes] a small period-126 glider gun using a [[pi]]-[[hassle|hassling]] mechanism, based on contributions by [[David Raucci]], [[iNoMed]], and [[cvojan]].
* '''December 17''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138965#p138965 completes] a blueprint laid out by googleplex, to produce a [[QuickSilver Demonoid|QuickSilver self-constructing spaceship]] made with entirely 1990s-era technology such as [[Silver's reflector]]s (but definitely 21st-century design techniques).
* '''December 14–21''': [[cvojan]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138895#p138895 discovers] the [[traffic stop|three quarters traffic light catalyst]], resulting in [[hassler]]s of periods 36, 48, and 60. Later, cvojan [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139008#p139008 constructs] a smaller [[p76 pi-heptomino hassler]], with only 57 cells, using this hassling reaction as a [[catalyst]], while [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139147#p139147 constructs] a smaller [[period-46 glider gun]] with a [[bounding box]] of 37×15, the second-smallest of any known gun.
* '''December 11''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138670#p138670 assembles] a [[bouncer]] with repeat time 22 and period 11, a previously unknown period for bouncers (though it was known for [[bumper]]s).
* '''December 10''': [[FractalFusion]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138634#p138634 constructs] [[statorless]] [[oscillator]]s for all periods that are multiples of 33.
* '''November 29''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138191#p138191 completes] "DOGun SaGaQR", a "shapeshifting" pattern that can be adjusted to become a [[diehard]], high-period [[Volatility#Oscillators_with_volatility_1|volatility 1 oscillator]], 4-[[barrel]]led glider [[gun]], c/24 [[spaceship]], single [[glider]], or [[quadratic growth]] [[replicator]].
* '''November 28''': [[Luka Okanishi]] and [[Tanner Jacobi]] construct the first [[true-period]] [[glider gun]]s of periods [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138155#p138155 51] and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138157#p138157 49] respectively using [[hotcrystal0_reaction|a base reaction]] by [[wwei23]] and [[hotcrystal0]].
* '''November 23–24''': [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138057#p138057 complete] a period-20 partial found by [[David Raucci]] to construct a record-breaking [[period-20 glider gun]].
* '''November 20''': [[Dongook Lee]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137874#p137874 finds] [[62P7]], a new period-7 [[domino]] [[sparker]] that's more accessible than [[132P7]], stronger than [[hebdarole]], and '''much''' smaller than [[754P7]] (which itself can be reduced to 678 cells with this same discovery).
* '''November 18''': [[Dongook Lee]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137807#p137807 discovers] the first [[strictly volatile p4]] oscillator.
* '''November 17''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137788#p137788 discovers] several new [[Max]] predecessors using [[LogicLifeSearch]] including, among others, one with only 151 cells and another with a [[bounding box]] of only 25×21, making them the smallest known [[spacefiller]]s by these metrics.
* '''November 17''': [[May13]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137751#p137751 constructs] the first clean c/6 orthogonal [[rake]] using 8 copies of a dirty p1212 puffer, and [[iNoMed]] quickly [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137752#p137752 reduces] this to 4 copies.
* '''November 13''': Using the new [[weekender]] recipe, [[Goldtiger997]] and [[Dave Greene]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137616#p137616 complete] a glider-to-weekender converter less than a quarter of the size of the previous mechanism, with an option to produce [[doo-dah]] spaceships instead.
* '''November 13''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137600#p137600 assembles] a working [[elementary]] Herschel merge circuit.
* '''November 13''': With population optimization help from [[Entity Valkyrie]], [[Dongook Lee]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137595#p137595 finds] [[180P8]], a very high-[[clearance]] [[domino]] sparker that is a significant reduction to the previously known [[230P8]].
* '''November 10''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137484#p137484 announces] yet another size reduction for the [[period-144 glider gun]] using a [[transparent]]-[[blinker]] [[component]].
* '''October 22''': [[MathAndCode]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136897#p136897 discovers] a [[phase shift]] reaction for [[50P9]] with period 9n-1.
* '''October 21''': Various users [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136864#p136864 discover] new [[p3 pipsquirter]]s which can be used to support the [[carnival shuttle]].
* '''October 13''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136580#p136580 completes] a Python script capable of assembling the Nth [[Canada Grey]] [[greyship]] for N>2, at a cost of 84N<sup>2</sup> + 371.5N + 204 - 43.5*MOD(N,2) [[glider]]s.
* '''October 12''': [[83bismuth38]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136555#p136555 discovers] [[66P62]], the smallest known {{period|62}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 11''': [[Nicolas Loizeau]] ('Coban' on the forums) posts a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136626#p136536 new scalable programmable 8-bit computer] (and accompanying video).
* '''September 23''': The textbook ''[[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]]'' by [[Nathaniel Johnston]] and [[Dave Greene]] is opened up to beta readers, available as a PDF at https://conwaylife.com/book/. Feedback can be submitted in [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5418 this thread].
* '''September 19''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135872#p135872 finds] new record-breaking small 'pure nonfillers', one with 209 ON cells and one with a 33-by-27 bounding box.
* '''September 17''': [[Dongook Lee]] and others, in a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/888333616952770560 Discord discussion], improve the [[period-55 glider gun]] with new customized p5 sparkers, making it the second-smallest odd-period gun after the [[period-21 glider gun]] by minimum population, and the outright smallest by bounding box.
* '''September 16''': [[David Raucci]] completes a new and significantly smaller [[true]] period [[period-54 glider gun]], with improvements based on a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/888137152616083506 Discord collaboration].
* '''September 14''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135748#p135748 discovers] a smaller [[true-period]]-32 [[glider gun]] based on a new engine.
* '''September 9''': [[David Raucci]] and [[Aidan F. Pierce]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135635#p135635 discover] the [[p32 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known {{period|32}} [[oscillator]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses the underlying reaction to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135636#p135636 construct] the first [[true-period]]-32 [[glider gun]].
* '''August 29-September 6''': iNoMed and others, in a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/881531301772029973 Discord discussion], radically improve the glider synthesis of the [[weekender]] from 56 gliders down to only 33, and reducing the [[repeat time]] from 444 [[tick]]s to 347 for a related 35-glider version (for 33G it's 427 ticks, and for 34G it's 447 ticks), making it one of the few known [[spaceship]]s besides the [[*WSS]]es that cost less than one glider per bit to synthesize.
* '''August 24''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135235#p135235 constructs] a period-18 reflector capable of reflecting a period-18 glider stream based on an oscillator by [[David Raucci]].
* '''August 24''': [[Catagolue]] is updated to allow larger tabulations in the form of linked fragments, [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/420789213466853387/879876922014851152 enabling] among other things storage of all xs21s (still lifes consisting of 21 bits).
* '''August 23''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135199#p135199 constructs] a new period-45 glider [[gun]] based on a partial result by David Raucci.
* '''August 21''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135135#p135135 re-uses SMOS technology] to build a [[RRO|reflectorless rotating oscillator]] with loopability 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6; with minor adjustments it can reach loopability 7, 10, or 11 (but not 8, 9, or 12 or higher).
* '''August 2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=134389#p134389 constructs] the first explicit example of a [[SMOS|spaceship made of spaceships]] in Conway's Game of Life.
* '''August 1''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://discordapp.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/871483361435209748 constructs] the first [[true]]-period [[Period-21_glider_gun|period-21 gun]] using a new period-21 oscillator by [[David Raucci]].
* '''July 30''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=134269#p134269 constructs] a [[T-nosed p7]] using a reaction from 2016.
* '''July 25''': [[Goldtiger997]] published the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=134059#p134059 detailed recipes] needed to synthesize an infinite family of increasingly larger greyships.
* '''July 12''': [[James Pascua]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133473#p133473 discover] [[90P51]], a two-cell reduction to the smallest known non-trivial p51 oscillator.
* '''July 9''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133286#p133286 discovers] an 83-cell variant of the [[p25 pre-pulsar shuttle]], making it the smallest known period-25 [[oscillator]].
* '''July 6''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133141#p133141 discovers] a new glider gun engine with [[period-117 glider gun|period 117]].
* '''July 1''': [[Martin Grant]] and Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=132872#p132872 complete] the synthesis of the [[greyship]] from June 20th in 753 gliders.
* '''June 20''': Goldtiger997 [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=132334#p132334 completes] the final step of a [[greyship]] [[glider synthesis]].
* '''June 18''': Adam P. Goucher [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/85543598338631273434 adds] to [[Catagolue]] the ability to recognize glider guns with up to four-digit periods, which can now be submitted to the collection via the nonmagical box at the bottom of the "Syntheses" page.
* '''May 17''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130340#p130340 constructs] a new [[period-20 glider gun]] based on a period-20 oscillator by [[wwei23]] and [[David Raucci]].
* '''May 14-21''': Frank Everdij discovers [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130230#p130230 two] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130622#p130622 new] elementary [[c/6 diagonal]] spaceships using [[ikpx2]].
* '''May 9''': Adam P. Goucher [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129942#p129942 constructs] period-12 knightpuffer and knightrake technology using variants of the new [[sprayer]] [[knightship]]; this is quickly followed by other puffer and rake periods such as a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129945#p129945 p48 mechanism] by cvojan.
* '''May 9''': After a three-month, 16-thread [[ikpx2]] search, Adam P. Goucher [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129937#p129937 finds] a completion for a second [[elementary]] [[knightship]] front end found by [[Dylan Chen]], which is known as the [[sprayer]] due to a huge accessible side spark at the front.
* '''April 13 - June 30''': [[David Raucci]] discovers many previously unseen oscillators, glider gun mechanisms, etc., including [[Raucci's p74]], using a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130212#p130212 new search script] that finds spark support for hassling common active objects in various symmetries.
* ''' April 11''': David Raucci [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128061#p128061 finds] a new [[p76 pi-heptomino hassler]] oscillator, which is quickly [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128083#p128083 reduced to a monomer form] by JP21, A for awesome, and [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* ''' April 10-14''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128012#p128012 completes] a 152-glider synthesis of a third c/4 orthogonal spaceship, [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_y2oo7t0t7ooz2qgx8t2rgr2t8xgq2z122166y5661221/b3s23 61P4H1V0.1]; within four days this was reduced to an [http://catagolue.appspot.com/object?apgcode=xq4_y2oo7t0t7ooz2qgx8t2rgr2t8xgq2z122166y5661221&rule=b3s23 89-glider synthesis].
* ''' March 19''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=126154#p126154 discovers] a new [[weekender]] tagalong.
* ''' March 18''': Results for the 2020 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition include a tie for first place between the [[Bandersnatch]] and the [[Speed Demonoid]].
* ''' March 17''': A small synthesis efficiency improvement project, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=125927#p125927 12-in-7] (12-bit still lifes constructed with 7 gliders or less) is completed, with 13 expensive syntheses reduced to below the target cost in less than a week.
* ''' March 17''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5066 Pattern of the Year voting], on a record-breaking thirty-nine entries for 2020, will close on March 17th.
* '''March 12''': The 20-bit [[still life]] [[glider synthesis]] [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/xs20 project] is [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=125259#p125259 completed].
* '''March 7-8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=124810#p124810 completes] a 215-glider recipe for [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_2534uof1u0u1fou4352zy087084048078zx3igi3x3igi3/b3s23 72P4H1V0], the second c/4 orthogonal spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''February 10-11''': [[Chris Rowett]] uses [[ikpx2]] to discover several new moving objects, including a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=122299#p122299 p120 2c/5 puffer] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=122454#p122454 c/5 diagonal tubstretcher, tagalong, and spaceship].
* '''February 4-11''': [[Tanner Jacobi]], EvinZL, [[Louis-François Handfield]] and [[Sphenocorona]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121723#p121723 find] new Herschel-to-glider [[converter]]s and variants of existing H-to-Gs: NW26T157b, NE30T17_NE1T22, NW10T137, SW-18T136 and a [[Spartan]] SE16T36b.
* '''January 11-March 8''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121698#p121698 completes] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121889#p121889 several] new [[chicken wire]] [[greyship]]s with different widths of chicken wire, with specific examples constructed for widths 2 through 12 among others.
* '''January 25''': [[Catagolue]]'s [[B3/S23]]/[[C1]] census [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/C1-2021-01-25 reaches] a total of one quadrillion objects.
* '''January 24''': [[goldenratio]] and [[bubblegum]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=120269#p120269 construct] a [[glider synthesis]] for [[edge-repair spaceship 1]].
* '''January 17''': [[wwei23]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119411#p119411 discovers] [[1320P7]], a large but high-clearance {{period|7}} [[sparker]] [[oscillator]].
* '''January 16''': [[Dylan Chen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119406#p119406 discovers] [[52513M]], the new longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] within a 16×16 [[bounding box]], just a week after the discovery of 50093M.
* '''January 16''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=119342#p119342 completes] a [[2c/5 orthogonal|2c/5]] [[waveguide]] for an oblique line of [[ants]] based on a partial result by [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* '''January 10''': [[Alex Greason]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118703#p118703 makes available] a fresh set of transfer.py results. Fewer than 535 20-bit still lifes have no known glider synthesis, and 135 of these have soups available on [[Catagolue]] to assist with synthesis.
* '''January 10''': [[Dylan Chen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118727#p118727 discovers] another new [[3c/7]] spaceship, using [[Andrew J. Wade]]'s December update to [[LSSS]]. This is the first small 3c/7 spaceship with [[gutter symmetry]].
* '''January 9''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118690#p118690 discovers] [[50093M]], the longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] within a 16×16 [[bounding box]], using [[apgsearch]].
* '''January 5''': [[Bullet51]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118256#p118256 uses ikpx2 to find] a third [[elementary]] [[c/6 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''January 5''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118240#p118240 discovers] a new variant of a known [[H-to-G]] [[conduit]], NE16T14, with likely applications as a [[reflector]] and merge circuit in [[single-channel]] self-constructing circuitry.
* '''January 5''': [[Sphenocorona]] and [[Luka Okanishi]] assemble a new elementary conduit, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118100#p118100 HF96P], which allows for the creation of several new Herschel-to-glider [[converter]]s.
* '''January 2-3''': bubblegum [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=117681#p117681 discovers] a new 3c/7 orthogonal [[Puffer#Puffer_engine|puffer engine]], allowing [[Matthias Merzenich]] and iNoMed to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=117798#p117798 construct] the first clean 3c/7 [[rake]].

==2020==
* '''December 28-31''': [[Dylan Chen]] discovers [[Anura]] ([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=117159#p117159]) and [[Soba]] ([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=117548#p117548]), the two smallest known [[3c/7 orthogonal]] spaceships, as stabilizations of the same frontend, and also a much smaller front end for the [[spaghetti monster]] on January 4.([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=118021#p118021])
* '''December 28''': ''The New York Times'' [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/science/math-conway-game-of-life.html publishes an article] reflecting on 50 years of Conway's Game of Life.
* '''December 20''': A [[Bellman]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=116491#p116491 search] by [[Tanner Jacobi]] turns up a new [[stable]] [[catalyst]] that can reset a [[beehive]] that has been pushed over by one cell by a collision.
* '''December 17''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] discovers [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/789169624842371122 a p61 pattern] that moves one cell per cycle, and can be supported by single-bit sparks, glider streams, or additional copies of the pattern on each side.
* '''December 15''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=115869#p115869 constructs] the first [[Gun#True-period_guns|true]] [[period-28 glider gun]].
* '''December 6''': John Winston Garth [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114481#p114481 discovers] [[doo-dah]], a new small period-21 [[tagalong]] for the [[weekender]], which can be used to create various [[2c/7 orthogonal]] [[puffer]]s and [[rake]]s.
* '''December 5''': [[User_talk:MathAndCode|MathAndCode]] and [[User:yujh|yujh]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114356#p114356 discover] 'NW26T157', a new [[Spartan]] conduit that converts a Herschel into three gliders, similar to [[NW31]] but with one glider on an output [[lane]] of a different [[color]].
* '''December 3-4''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114036#p114036 finds] a final step for a [[turtle]] [[synthesis]], followed by a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114209#p114209 complete 241-glider synthesis] the next day.
* '''November 24''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=112239#p112239 completes] a [[barge crosser]], a mechanism which allows a glider signal to cross an arbitrarily long barge without causing permanent damage.
* '''November 18''': [[Goldtiger997]] finds [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=111260#p111260 glider recipes] that can convert M2 [[minstrel]]s into M3 minstrels and vice versa.
* '''November 15''': [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=110875#p110875 discovers] a new [[sparker]], a period-9 version of a [[heavyweight emulator]].
* '''October 30''': [[Golly]] 4.0 is [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=108478#p108478 officially released].
* '''October 16''': [[Andrew Trevorrow]] makes available the first beta builds for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=106785#p106785 Golly 4.0], supporting Python 3.x and new rule types and neighborhoods, and enabling multi-color "Super" and "History" support for a wide range of two-state rules.
* '''September 27''': A [[burloaferimeter]] variant [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=105040#p105040 appears] in an asymmetric [[soup]] found by [[Rob Liston]], making it the first natural {{period|7}} oscillator.
* '''September 26''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104930#p104930 completes] [[Speed Demonoid]] version 2, removing the 2c/9 limitation; a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=105167#p105167 Golly script] can now build a spaceship with any rational diagonal speed below c/4 (subject to some practical size limitations).
* '''September 19''': [[MathAndCode]] and [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104484#p104484 construct] a 17-glider [[reverse caber-tosser]], proving that all [[synthesizable]] patterns can be made with no more than 17 gliders and that all synthesizable [[still life]]s can be constructed with no more than one glider per [[bit]].
* '''September 19''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104453#p104453 synthesizes] [[55P9H3V0]], the first period-9 spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''September 18''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104423#p104423 constructs] a complete [[Speed Demonoid]], using double [[crabstretcher]]s to accelerate a [[self-constructing]] [[spaceship]] to 3492022/17833792=1746011/8916896 ≈ 0.1958c, very close to c/5. The new spaceship can be adjusted to match any rational speed slower than 2c/9.
* '''September 15''': [[wwei23]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104102#p104102 discovers] several new 3-engine Corderships, including one that cleans up its trailing blocks with sideways gliders, similar to a 5-, 6-, or [[7-in-a-row Cordership]].
* '''September 9-17''': [[wwei23]] assembles a new type of period-192 [[4-in-a-row Cordership]], and later constructs [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104307#p104307 glider-to-Cordership] and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104367#p104367 Cordership-to-glider] [[converter]]s for it.
* '''August 29''': [[User:Goldtiger997|Goldtiger997]] completes a [[synthesis]] of the first known [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [[44P5H2V0]], almost thirty years after its discovery; this is the third completed synthesis for a 2c/5 spaceship.
* '''August 23''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] adds to [[slmake]] a fast elbow push recipe created by [[Pavel Grankovskiy]], based on a [[c/4]] diagonal [[crab]] [[wickstretcher]]. This means that [[recipe]]s for self-constructing structures with a not-quite-attainable limit speed of c/4 can now be semi-automatically compiled.
* '''August 16''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102367#p102367 discovers] a 14-glider recipe for a [[crab]] spaceship, down from the previous cost of 16, which can be used to reduce the size and construction cost of a wickstretcher [[seed]].
* '''August 14''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102387#p102387 finds] via [[apgsearch]] a third natural [[loafer]] emerging from asymmetric [[soup]].
* '''August 10''': Syntheses of a variety of [[pufferfish spaceship]]s make their way to [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/xq36 Catagolue], thanks to an extension of the time required in online recipe submissions for all gliders to react.
* '''August 2-18''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=101555#p101555 completes] and later [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102465#p102465 improves] a [[1G seed]] for a c/4 diagonal [[wickstretcher]], enabling [[self-constructing]] spaceships with the fastest possible diagonal speed of (just below) [[c/4]].
* '''July 29''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=101323#p101323 constructs] a fast diagonal [[Demonoid]] puffer with velocity (4825784,4825784)c/45679544.
* '''July 21''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=100871#p100871 reduces] the cost of the [[reverse caber-tosser]] constructor to 32 gliders.
* '''July 20''': [[A for awesome]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100822#p100822 completes] a new stable [[L122]] Herschel conduit, based on a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100724#p100724 P2 periodic variant] by [[User:Entity Valkyrie 2|Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''July 18''': A [[glider synthesis]] of [[70P2H1V0.1]] is [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq2_jimmgozmgmkqa323ms8zq2qamkgggqe4ziiqq26101z1/b3s23 posted to Catagolue] by [[Martin Grant]], making 70P2H1V0.1 the first period-2 spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''July 7''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100181#p100181 completes] a record-breaking [[seed]] [[constellation]] that, when triggered by a single gliders, turn into a clean 100-glider recipe for a c/5 spaceship, [[58P5H1V1]]. This potentially improves the unreachable upper bound on Demonoid speed from c/12 to c/5.
* '''July 1''': A [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99834#p99834 collaborative effort] results in a series of HWSS Heisenburp circuits much smaller than the previous best known devices. Recovery time is under 1400 ticks. Some versions can also detect [[flotilla]]s with an HWSS along one edge.
* '''June 20-30''': Several new signal converter circuits are constructed, including [[Luka Okanishi]]'s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99516#p99516 242-tick 30P5H2V0-to-G] and [[Goldtiger997]]'s 290-tick [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99516#p99196 HWSS-to-G]. Many others are catalogued [[User:Goldtiger997/Spaceship_Stable_Circuitry|here]].
* '''June 6-30''': [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99834#p99834 JP21's] and then [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99833&#p99833 Jeremy Tan's] eater collections spark new interest, and eaters are found for several previously inedible spaceships such as [[dragon]], [[Canada goose]], and [[brain]].
* '''June 8''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=98622#p98622 collaborative effort] produces a fully universal *WSS-to-glider [[converter]] that recovers in only 588 ticks, and works even if moved by an odd number of cells along the input [[lane]].
* '''June 7''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=98586#p98586 completes] an adjustable-width [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]] using components by [[Keith Amling]] and [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''June 5''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] completes a mechanism suggested by [[Martin Grant]] to make a [[Bandersnatch]], a [[glider-constructible]] [[color-changing]] glider shifter with a recovery time of only 70 ticks.
* '''May 25''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] and [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=97701#p97701 find] improved [[highway robber]]s with better [[clearance]] and 876- and 873-tick [[recovery time]]s.
* '''May 22''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=97489#p97489 constructs] a [[gun]] for [[58P5H1V1]], the first gun to produce a [[c/5 diagonal]] spaceship.
* '''May 9''': The [[silverfish]], a self-supporting 31c/240 [[caterpillar]]-type spaceship designed using the [[slow salvo]] recipe from the [[Centipede]] but a simpler front end, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96462#p96462 is completed].
* '''May 6''': [[Goldtiger997]] solves the problem of glider-constructing all [[Still_life#Pseudo_still_lifes|pseudo still life]]s consisting of [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96210#p96210 4×N chunks] of blocks [[agar]].
* '''May 3-4''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] adapts [[Martin Grant]]'s new [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=95988#p95988 HL161H conduit] to make a new compact [[color-changing]] [[edge shooter]], [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96093#p96093 HSW47T214].
* '''Apr. 21''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=95336#p95336 discovers] [[49768M]], the longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] fitting within a 16×16 [[bounding box]].
* '''Apr. 11''': [[John Horton Conway]], the inventor of [[Conway's Game of Life]], dies in Princeton, NJ at the age of 82.
* '''Apr. 8''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93647#p93647 constructs] a much faster and more compact [[universal regulator]].
* '''Apr. 3''': [[Goldtiger997]], [[Tanner Jacobi]], and others [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93167#p93167 complete] the [[glider synthesis]] for [[58P5H1V1]], the first synthesis for a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''Apr. 1''': A [[loafer]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93011#p93011 appears] for the first time in an [[asymmetric]] [[soup]], submitted to [[Catagolue]] by [[John Goodman]]. Coincidentally, this occurred exactly two years after [[Dave Greene]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=58727#p58727 posted] a fake soup for April Fools' Day 2018.
* '''Mar. 25''': [[Martin Grant]] and others [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=92323#p92323 complete] the [[glider synthesis]] for [[56P6H1V0]], the first synthesis for a [[c/6 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]] and the first for a {{periodS|6}} [[spaceship]].
* '''Mar. 22''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] uses [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search] to find [[186P7H2V0]], a third [[2c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship, part of an infinite family based on a known 2c/7 [[wave]].
* '''Mar. 22''': [[Goldtiger997]] completes the activation stage for a recipe for [[56P6H1V0]], which along with the [[spider]] and [[weekender]] is now one of the largest [[elementary]] spaceships for which a [[glider synthesis]] can (presumably) be completed.
* '''Mar. 17''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=91518#p91518 discovers] [[409P6H1V0]], the narrowest known [[c/6 orthogonal]] spaceship, using [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search].
* '''Mar. 9''': [[Richard K. Guy]], discoverer of the [[glider]], [https://aperiodical.com/2020/03/richard-k-guy-1916-2020/ passes away] at the age of 103.
* '''Feb. 9''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=89261#p89261 discovers] a new p16 oscillator, [[Rob's p16]], using [[apgsearch]]. It is the smallest known p16 by both [[population]] and [[bounding box]], the first p16 to appear from an asymmetric [[soup]], the first [[strictly volatile]] p16, and the first new [[rotor]] to be discovered by asymmetric soup search since the 1980s.
* '''Feb. 8''': All 19-bit [[still life]]s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=89061#p89061 are confirmed] to have valid [[glider syntheses]].
* '''Jan. 26''': [[Dave Greene]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4279 creates] LifeSuper, an extended version of [[LifeHistory]] for advanced pattern annotation.
* '''Jan. 26''': Entity Valkyrie [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=88186#p88186 constructs] a period-11040 [[spider]] [[gun]], the first gun to fire a [[c/5 orthogonal]] spaceship.
* '''Jan. 13''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] sets up a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4260 new "manually distributed" search] (table [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/User:Sokwe/C/8-width-19 here]), to find out whether a symmetric c/8 spaceship exists at width 19.
* '''Jan. 9''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] completes a long-running enumeration of [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=87225#p87225 34-bit still lifes], finding 35,422,864,104 strict still lifes with 34 bits, and 41,058,173,683 pseudo still lifes with the same bit count, including 26 [[triple pseudo still life]]s.
* '''Jan. 5''': A Rules namespace update on the LifeWiki allows [[LifeViewer]] to display in-browser many patterns using rule tables and trees, which previously couldn't be simulated without copying them into Golly.

==2019==
* '''Dec. 30''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] uses his search program, [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search], to find the second elementary 2c/7 spaceship, [[scholar]].
* '''Dec. 29''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=86668#p86668 synthesises] a variant of [[David Hilbert]].
* '''Dec. 28''': [[Martin Grant]] finds a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=86644#p86644 counterexample] to a 22-year old conjecture by [[Dean Hickerson]] about still-life finitization.
* '''Dec. 25''': Pavgran assembles [[Slavic]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=86540#p86540], a quadratic-growth pattern similar to [[Hydra]] that doesn't need a central gun.
* '''Dec. 9''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=86121#p86121 reduces] the cost of the [[spider]] synthesis by over 100 gliders.
* '''Dec. 1''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85900#p85900 discovers] a new period-49 oscillator based on a partial result by [[Jason Summers]].
* '''Nov. 24''': Luka Okanishi [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85719#p85719 discovers] a [[David Hilbert|period-23 oscillator]], leaving [[Omniperiodic|only four periods]] for which no non-trivial oscillator is known.
* '''Nov. 20''': [[Dongook Lee]] finds a [[p7 pipsquirter]] that is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85532#p85532 significantly smaller] than the old [[p7 pipsquirter]], leading to bounding-box reductions in the gun collection and various oscillators.
* '''Nov. 18''': [[Tanner Jacobi]], Goldtiger997 and others find improved recipes for a number of difficult-to-synthesize still lifes, reducing the maximum cost for 16-bit still lifes to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85457#p85457 14 gliders].
* '''Nov. 17''': Michael Simkin uses [[pi calculator]] and [[Osqrtlogt]] technology to build a Life pattern that prints the song [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85414#p85414 "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall"].
* '''Nov. 12''': Bullet51 and Aidan F. Pierce discover [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85245#p85245 new] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85246#p85246 sparky] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85249#p85249 period-13 oscillators].
* '''Nov. 4''': [[Alex Greason]], [[Arie Paap]], BlinkerSpawn, and [[Dongook Lee]] collaborate on the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84877#p84877 discovery of phoenix agar oscillators] on different-sized tori, which can [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84994#p84994 reproduce the behavior of XOR oscillators] in other rules (see [https://oeis.org/A160657 OEIS A160657]).
* '''Oct. 28''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=84593#p84593 finds] a 64-glider [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for the [[27P4H1V1]] spaceship (later reduced to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=85966#p85966 31 gliders]).
* '''Oct. 22''': Goldtiger997 [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84423#p84423 constructs] a p612 [[gun]] for the [[46P4H1V0]] spaceship.
* '''Oct. 9''': All 18-bit [[still life]]s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=83979#p83979 are confirmed] to have valid [[glider syntheses]].
* '''Sep. 9''': The 17-in-17 Project [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=82560#p82560 is completed], showing that every 17-bit [[still life]] can be [[glider synthesis|constructed]] using at most 16 [[glider]]s.
* '''Aug. 15''': Update to a previous news item from 21 April 2019 (see archive): all 15-bit [[still life]]s can [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=81277#p81277 now be constructed] with at most 12 [[glider]]s.
* '''July 16''': [[Dave Greene]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=79686#p79686 constructs] a [[large prime oscillator]] with a period equal to the largest Mersenne prime currently known, 2<sup>82589933</sup>-1.
* '''June 19''': A [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=78036&#p78036 huge long-term collaborative effort] is completed, showing that all glider-constructible [[still life]]s can (at least in theory) be constructed using less than two [[glider]]s per [[bit]].
* '''June 2''': Goldtiger997 completes a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=77029#p77029 glider-to-25P3H1V0.2 converter], based on [[Martin Grant]]'s [[25P3H1V0.2]] synthesis from 2017.
* '''May 29''': Thomas Cabaret makes available a [https://cp4space.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/self-replicator-caught-on-video/ Passe-Science video] featuring [[self-constructing]] CA patterns, including several minutes showing details of the [[0E0P metacell]].
* '''May 25''': Goldtiger997 completes a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76686#p76686 glider-to-crab converter], with the help of a script implementing a universal glider synchronization [[toolkit]].
* '''May 24-30''': christoph.r posts several [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76645#p76645 unusual breeder designs] based on c/10 technology, including [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76901#p76901 some variants] on a [[pufferfish]] [[breeder]].
* '''May 9''': GilGil makes available a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76571#p76571 huge but elegant 60-line printer] traveling at c/10, based on fleets of [[fireship]]s.
* '''Apr. 21''': [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75278#p75278 Improvements to glider syntheses] mean that every 15-bit still life has a recipe with at most 13 gliders. For current maximum costs, see the table in [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Glider_synthesis#Still_life_syntheses Still-life syntheses].
* '''Apr. 17''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] set several new bounding-box records with a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75185#p75185 new glider gun mechanism] based on filtered MWSSes.
* '''Apr. 14''': [[Michael Simkin]] completes a [[self-constructing]] puffer pattern which he calls [[Remini]] ("retro Gemini"), using a single-channel design with nothing but 1970s circuit mechanisms.
* '''Apr. 10''': [[Jeremy Tan]] releases a new glider recipe database, [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74753#p74753 Shinjuku], specifically for tracking lowest-cost syntheses.
* '''Apr. 6-7''': [[LifeViewer]] standardizes support for [[triangular neighbourhood]]s starting with Build 320.
* '''Apr. 5''': An exhaustive computer search run by [[Nathaniel Johnston]] reveals that there are 14,223,867,298 strict and 15,851,861,075 pseudo [[:Category:Still lifes with 33 cells|33-bit]] [[still life]]s, including eleven pseudo still lifes that can be partitioned into [[Triple pseudo still life|three stable pieces but not two]], and none that can be partitioned into [[Quad pseudo still life|four stable pieces but not two or three]].[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74524#p74524]
* '''Mar. 27''': The last remaining [[:Category:Strict still lifes with 14 cells|14-bit]] [[still life]], [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_4ai3zwo9a4/b3s23 xs14_4ai3zwo9a4], appears in a [[symmetry|C1]] [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]], in a haul submitted by an anonymous user.[http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74007#p74007]
* '''Mar. 24''': [[apgsearch]] v5.03 gains the ability to log 'megasized' [[soup]]s with final [[population]]s exceeding 3,000.[https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/apgmera/commit/2133cb40147cbb7b70f1a5fb4709f8f3b2feb6f7] [[Apgsearch#Version_5.x|apgsearch 5.x]] can also pre-process asymmetric C1 B3/S23 soups on GPUs with CUDA support.[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=73557#p73557]
* '''Mar. 7''': A [[spider]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] using 574 [[glider]]s and 9 [[LWSS]]es is found by [[Martin Grant]]. [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=72705#p72705]
* '''Mar. 3''': A [[figure eight on pentadecathlon|period-120 oscillator]], the highest period thus far, occurs from a natural [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]].
* '''Mar. 2''': Several symmetric-soup [[diehard]]s with [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/messless_15h/b3s23 lifespans over 1500 ticks] are found by 'carybe', using [[apgsearch]].
* '''Feb. 12''': A [[lightweight Schick engine]] appears from a natural (C1) [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]].
* '''Feb. 9''': A [[47575M|47,575-tick 16x16 methuselah]] found by Adam Goucher via [[apgsearch]] yields a 16-cell, 47,487-tick methuselah. This discovery skips over several empty 1000-tick bins in [[Catagolue]] above the previous record 16x16 methuselah, [[Homer]].
* '''Feb. 4''': A glider detection and removal upgrade in [[apgsearch]] version 4.91 gives a search speed boost of well over 50% compared to version 4.88.
* '''Feb. 4''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] and [[Martin Grant]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=69591#p69591 find a recipe], subsequently reduced to 88 gliders, for the first-ever synthesizable [[c/4]] spaceship, [[46P4H1V0]].
* '''Jan. 21 - Feb. 1''': Additional (2,1)c/6 [[minstrel]]s and spaceship connections are found, bringing the number of combinations of elementary minstrels into double digits.
* '''Jan. 25''': the ''[[Pattern of the Year#2018|Pattern of the Year 2018]]'' competition concludes, with [[Sir Robin]] taking first place.
* '''Jan. 25''': [[LifeViewer]] [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68595#p68595 build 282] goes live on the LifeWiki and forums, with several enhancements including new labeling functionality.
* '''Jan. 20''': [[Catagolue]] collects a record-setting longest-lived asymmetrical 16x16 [[diehard]], with a lifespan of 1058 ticks.
* '''Jan. 17''': A new period-8 domino sparker, [[230P8]], is [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68099p68099 discovered by Arie Paap] and [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68104#p68104 reduced by 'Bullet51'].
* '''Jan 16-18''': Four new [[minstrel]]s are found, plus a lucky connection of an existing minstrel to [[knightwave]], creating for the first time a [[grammar]] that allows for an infinite number of distinct [[elementary]] [[knightship]]s.
* '''Jan 10''': A new period-24 oscillator, [[dueling banjos]], turns up in an [[apgsearch]] soup search. Uses so far include a smaller [[period-24 glider gun]], with associated improvements to p16 and p48 glider guns and a p48 LWSS gun.
* '''Jan 3-7''': Record-setting [[diehard]]s are found by [[Rob Liston]] and [[Apple Bottom]] via [[apgsearch]].

==2018==
* '''Dec 7''': A new oblique [[camelship]], much smaller and lower population than the [[Spaceship#Adjustable_spaceships|Gemini 3 variant]] from 2010, is completed by Chris Cain.
* '''Dec 2''': The value of V, the lowest number for which an oscillator can be constructed with strict [[volatility]] 1 for that or any higher period, is reduced to [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=66138#p66138 3,506,909 ticks].
* '''Nov 30''': Adam P. Goucher sets another new record using the latest apgsearch by finding "Homer", a [[42883M|16x16 methuselah with a lifespan of 42883 ticks]].
* '''Nov 28''': An update to [[slsparse]] allows it to recognize [[45-degree MWSS-to-G]] converters in any orientation, and use unidirectional [[slow salvo]] recipes to construct them.
* '''Nov 18''': Entity Valkyrie discovers a new period-13 [[FNG]] suppression mechanism, allowing the [[true]] [[period-52 glider gun]] to be reduced to less than a seventh of its previous size.
* '''Nov 12''': A working [[0E0P metacell]] is announced by [[Adam P. Goucher]], along with [https://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2018/11/new-tools-for-self-construction.html several improvements] to [[slmake]], the program used to compile the metacell.
* '''Oct 31''': An update to [[apgsearch]] sets another new record by finding a [[42100M|16x16 methuselah]] with a lifespan of 42,100 ticks.
* '''Oct 31''': A self-constructing "loopship", a new type of spaceship with a non-[[Geminoid]] design, is completed by [[Dave Greene]].
* '''Oct 30''': A [[periodic]] (p5 or p4) [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=65290#p65198 quinti-Snark] is constructed by Tanner Jacobi, with the usual implications for reductions to the glider gun collection.
* '''Oct 29''': [[apgluxe]] v4.56-[[lifelib|ll]]2.0.5 and [[Catagolue]] add support for [[BSFKL]] rules.
* '''Oct 28''': A record-setting 39,693-tick methuselah, [[Wilma]], is discovered by [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=65124#p65124 Rob Liston] using a custom FPGA [[soup]] searcher.
* '''Oct 27''': An [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=65112#p65111 new LWSS synthesis] by [[Chris Cain]] allows for [[LWSS]], [[MWSS]], and [[HWSS]] guns with [[pseudo]] [[period]]s as low as 18. 18 is the minimum for HWSS streams.)
* '''Oct 21''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] completes a [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64968#p64968 two-dimensionally extensible wick-supporting pushalong] with a minimum width of over a thousand cells.
* '''Oct 21''': New [[Orthogonoid]]s with periods 2<sup>27</sup> and 2<sup>28</sup> are [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64949#p64949 constructed] by [[Dave Greene]], followed by a 2<sup>25</sup> version by [[Adam P. Goucher]].
* '''Oct 12''': A new [[:Category:Oscillators with period 14|period-14]] [[oscillator]], [[34P14.1]], is found by 'carybe'.
* '''Oct 11''': Christoph R. [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64623#p64623 discovers] a [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64627#p64627 new Fireship tagalong].
* '''Oct 10''': [[Dave Greene]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64590#p64590 completes the construction] of two new [[HashLife]]-friendly [[Demonoid]]s.
* '''Oct 07''': [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64619#p64489 A complex 140-glider synthesis] of a c/2 signal traveling along a diagonal long<sup>N</sup> barge [[wire]] is completed by Martin Grant.
* '''Oct 03''': A [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64315#p64315 p4 [[bouncer]] reflector] is constructed by Arie Paap. With the p9 reflector, this completes the set of [[colour-changing]] and [[colour-preserving]] reflectors with periods from 4 to 9.
* '''Oct 02''': A p9 reflector is discovered [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1452&start=1750#p64309 by Matthias Merzenich and "carybe"] based on Noam Elkies' [[bouncer]] reaction. This is the first reflector capable of reflecting a p27 glider stream.
* '''Oct 02''': A [[true]] p33 gun is discovered [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3552&p=64281#p64266 by Arie Paap and Matthias Merzenich].
* '''Sep 27''': A [[true]] [[p52 gun]] is [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64084#p64084 completed by a collaborative effort].
* '''Sep 9''': [[Dave Greene]] completes the construction of a stable [[line crosser]] with a [[repeat time]] of 501 ticks.
* '''Jul 15/19''': The [[Minstrel]]s, a group of [[tagalong]]s for [[Sir Robin]], are discovered.
* '''Jun 14''': The [https://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-meaning-of-life-is-42-but-cost-of.html construction] of a [[reverse caber-tosser]] shows that any [[glider synthesis|glider-constructible]] object can be constructed with at most 35 [[glider]]s.
* '''Apr 04''': A [[p3 bumper|p3 reflector]] is discovered by Arie Paap based on Tanner Jacobi's [[bumper]] reaction. This is the first reflector capable of reflecting a p39 glider stream.
* '''Mar 06''': [[Sir Robin]], the first [[elementary]] [[knightship]] in [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]], is discovered by [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Tomas Rokicki|Tom Rokicki]].
* '''Feb 19''': The [[2-engine Cordership]] wins the 2017 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition, with [[Tanner's p46]] taking second place.

==2009==
{{LifeWiki:News/600 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/500 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/400 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/300 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/200 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/LifeWiki goes live}}

==Also see==
* [[LifeWiki:Did you know archive]]

Template:CurrentNews

2026-09-27T09:32:41Z

Dvgrn: mention new unsynthesizable still life record, move August to archive

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''September 27''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=235953#p235953 reduces] the [[unsynthesizable still life]] record again, from 154 live cells in a 252-cell self-forcing patch to 153 live cells in a 245-cell patch.
* '''September 14''': [[ENDW]]’s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=235116#p235116 first forum post] contains an implementation of [[Goldtiger997]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207398#p207398 proposed] [[omniship]] design with velocity (16,9)c/60 and period 600000000. This design allows the construction of spaceships for all non-orthogonal velocities strictly below the spaceship [[speed limit]].
* '''September 11''': [[russellsprouts]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234959#p234959 constructs] the first [[Langton's Ant]] emulator in Life not based on the [[0E0P metacell]].
* '''September 11''': [[I6_I6]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234958#p234958 constructs] the first [[self-synthesizing]] [[reflectorless rotating oscillator]] in Life; [[Goldtiger997]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Reflectorless_rotating_oscillator#Engineered_RROs previous design] was not truly self-synthesizing.
* '''September 10-11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234911#p234911 constructs] the first c/6 diagonal puffer, using a reaction by [[Hunter]]. [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=234923#p234923 constructs] some smaller examples the next day. While c/6 diagonal puffers based on the [[Speed Demonoid]] design are possible, none have yet been constructed, and any such puffer would be much larger.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Unique father problem

2026-09-27T09:30:22Z

Dvgrn: mention new record unconstructible still life

__NOTOC__
{{Pattern
|name = Unique father problem
|pname = uniquefatherproblemsolved
|type = Problem
|c = 258
|bx = 28
|by = 22
|symmetry = C2_4
|synthesis = 0
|discoverer = Ilkka Törmä
|discoverer2 = Ville Salo
|discoveryear = 2022
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 500 ]]
}}
The '''unique father problem''' is the following question, posed by [[John Conway]] in 1972 in [[Lifeline Volume 6]] with an associated $50 cash prize,<ref name="lifelinevol6" /> along with the [[grandfather problem]]:

:''Is there a stable configuration whose only father is itself (with some fading junk some distance away not being counted)?

The problem was answered positively by [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] on January 13, {{year|2022}}, with a {{times|22|28}} region that must appear in all of its predecessors. This is shown in the infobox to the right, with the gray cells indicating the boundary of this region. This can be stabilized to form a {{times|26|32}} [[still life]] consisting mostly of repeated [[four snakes around block]] units with population 374, which cannot be constructed from scratch by any means.<ref name="post140258" /> [[Dani]] reduced this still life by 40 cells within the same bounding box.<ref name="post140294" /> It was further reduced by [[Oscar Cunningham]] to its provably minimum population of 306 but with a larger bounding box.<ref name="post140295" /> In particular, there is no [[glider synthesis]] for any still life that contains this region.

{{gallery top}}
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|pname = unconstructiblestilllife
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 500 ]]
|position = center
|caption = {{times|26|32}} unconstructible still life with population 334 (minimum bounding box)
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = unconstructiblestilllife2
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 500 ]]
|position = center
|caption = {{times|34|28}} unconstructible still life with population 306 (minimum population)
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}

== Reductions ==
On September 4, {{year|2023}}, [[400spartans]] used a modified version of Törmä and Salo's "gol-agars" search program to find several more self-forcing agar patches, including one that allowed for the creation of a 278-cell unsynthesizable still life.<ref name="message1148473397018370048" />

{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = selfforcing21x6and23x20
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 ]]
|position = center
|caption = {{times|21|6}} self-forcing agar found by 400spartans, and {{times|23|20}} self-forcing patch made from the agar
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = unconstructiblestilllifepop278
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 ]]
|position = center
|caption = {{times|31|28}} unconstructible still life, stabilizing the {{times|23|20}} self-forcing patch
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}
On March 12, {{year|2024}}, [[400spartans]] reduced this once more to a patch of 389 specified cells with a population-236 stabilisation.<ref name="p180119" /> The self-forcing region was found as a finite subset of a self-forcing [[agar]] with the constraint that all live cells in the agar have three living neighbours, and all dead cells have four. All known self-forcing still life patches have related infinite agars with this property.<ref name="p180133" />

On September 2, {{year|2024}}, 400spartans found a population-184 stabilization of a self-forcing patch with 283 specified cells.<ref name="p193366" /> The discovery process for the new unconstructible still life involved the use of a hybrid tool incorporating ideas from Törmä and Salo's gol-agars program and [[mtve]]'s grandfatherless pattern algorithm, which builds up a pattern by adding overlapping 3x3 squares while keeping track of the number of predecessors within the same bounding box. A self-forcing patch with as few as 271 specified cells exists for this still life.<ref name="p193510" />

In January 2025, 400spartans reduced the population record again to 162 live cells.<ref name="message1330285175996940398" /> On April 4, they reduced the population record to 154 cells by identifying small regions that don't appear in known self-forcing patches, searching for large irregular agars without these, finding each one's maximal self-forcing subset and checking whether random {{times|24|24}} subsections of this are self-forcing.<ref name="message1357522386236477543" /> The smallest known total required number of specified cells for the 154-live-cell patch is 272 -- i.e., 118 dead cells must also be specified.<ref name="post231519" />

In September 2026, 400spartans found another reduction, to 153 live cells with a 245-cell self-forcing patch.<ref name="post235953" />

{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 28, y = 26, rule = LifeHistory
2.A8.2A$2.3A5.A.A$5.A4.A2.2A2.2A$4.C2D2CD2CDC2DCD.A.A$4.2CD2C2DC2DCD
2CD2C.A$4.DC4DC2D2C2DC3D.A$2A.C2DCD2CD2C2DC2DCD2CDCA$A.A2CD2CDC2DC2D
2CD2CDC2DA$3.2DC4DC2D2C2DC4DCD$3.DC2D2CD2CDC2DC2D2CD2C$3.D2CD2C2DC2DC
D2CD2C2DC$3.2DC4DC2D2C2DC4DCD$2A.C2DCD2CD2C2DC2DCD2CDC2A.A$A.2ACD2CDC
2DC2D2CD2CDC2DC.2A$4.DC4DC2D2C2DC4DC2D$4.C2D2CD2CDC2DC2D2CD2CD$4.2CD
2C2DC2DCD2CD2C2DCD$4.DC4DC2D2C2DC4DC2D$3.A2DCD2CD2C2DC2DCD2CD2CA.A$3.
ACD2CDC2DC2D2CD2CDC2DA.2A$5.A.3DC2D2C2DC4DCD$5.A.2CD2CDC2DC2D2CD2C$6.
A.A.DC2DCD2CD2C2DC$9.2A2.2A2.A4.A$15.A.A5.3A$15.2A8.A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-236 unconstructible still life displayed in [[LifeHistory]]. A self-forcing patch is highlighted, with live cells being white and dead cells being red.
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 22, y = 25, rule = LifeHistory
10.2A$9.A2.A$7.A2.A.A$.2A3.D2CDC2D2A$.A2.2CDC2D2CDC2D2C$2.2ACDC2DC2DC
2D2CDA$4.3D2CDC2D2C3D.A$4.2CDC2D2CDC2D2C.A$2.2ACDC2DC2DC2D2CDA$.A2.3D
2CDC2D2C3D$2.A.2CDC2D2CDC2D2C$.ACD2C2DC2DC2DCD2C$2.5D2CDC2D2C3D$.A2CD
2C2DCD2C2DCDC2A$A2.2CDC2DC2DC2D2CDA.A$A2.4D2CDC2D2C3D3.A$.2ACD2C2DCD
2C2DCDC3A$3.2CDC2DC2DC2D2CDA$3.4D2CDC2D2C3D$2.AD2CDC2D2CDC2D2C$.A.2CD
C2DC2DC2D2CDA$.A3.2D2CDC2D2C3D.A$2.A.ACDC2D2CDC2DC2A$3.2A.A2.A2.A2.2A
$10.2A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-184 unconstructible still life, with a self-forcing patch containing 283 specified cells highlighted.
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 22, y = 22, rule = LifeHistory
16.A$.2A12.A.A$.A2.2C.DCD2C2DCD.A$2.ADC2DCD2C2DCD2C.2A$3.C2D2C4D2C2DC
2.A$3.D2C2DCD2C2DC2DCD$3.2DC2D2CDC2D2CD2C$3.C2D2C4D2C2DC2DA$2.D2CDC2D
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C2DC2DCDA$.AC2DC2D2CDC2D2CD2C$2.DC2D2C4D2C2DC2DC$2.D2CDC2D2CDC2DC2DCD
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DC2D2CDC2.ACDAC$3.2A12.A$17.A.A$18.2A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-162 unconstructible still life, with a self-forcing patch of 272 specified cells.
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 23, y = 22, rule = LifeHistory
6.2A$5.A2.A3.2A$4.DC2DCD2.A3.2A$3.ACD2CD2CDCD.C2.A$2.DC2DC2DC2D2C2DC2D
C$.AC2DC2DC2DC2D2CD2CDA$A.D2CD2CD2CDC2DC2DCDA$.A.C2DC2DC2D2C2DC2DC$2A
.2DC2DC2DC2D2CD2CD$.A.D2CD2CD2C2DC2DC2D.2A$.A.C2DC2DC2D2C2DC2DA2.A$2.
ADC2DC2DC2DCD2CDACDA$3.D2CD2CD2C2DC2DC2DC$3.A2DC2DC2D2C2DC2DCD$3.2A.2D
C2DC2D2CD2CD$7.2CD2C2DC2DC2D$6.A2DC2D2C2DC2DC$5.A.C2DC2DCD2C.2A$5.A.2C
D2C2DCD.A$6.A.DCD4.A.A$7.A.A6.A$8.A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-154 unconstructible still life, with a self-forcing patch of 252 specified cells.
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 22, y = 23, rule = LifeHistory
13.2A$5.A6.A.A$4.A.A4.DCD5.2A$4.A2.C2DACDC2D2C2.A$2.2A.2CDC2DC2DC2DCD
A$2.A2.C2D2C2DCD2C2DC$3.DC2DC2D2CDC2D2CD$3.2CD2C2DC2DC2DC2D.2A$2.A2DC
2D2C2DCD2C2DA2.A$.A.C2DC2DCD2C2DCD2CDA$.A.ACD2C2DC2DC2DC2DC$2.A.DC2D2C
2DCD2C2DCD$3.DC2DC2D2CDC2D2CD$3.2CD2C2DC2DC2DC2D$2.A2DC2D2C2DCD2C2DC$
.A.C2DC2DCD2C2DC.2C$A.D2CD2C2DC2DC.A$A.C2DC2D2C2DC2.A$.ADC2DC2DCD2C.A
$3.ACD2C2DCD.A$2.A.DCD4.2A$3.A.A$4.A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-153 unconstructible still life, with a self-forcing patch of 245 specified cells.
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}
== See also ==
* [[Grandfather problem]]
* [[Unsynthesizable oscillator 1]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="lifelinevol6">{{CiteLifeline
|vol = 6
|pages = p. 1
}}</ref>
<ref name="post140258">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 140258
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = Ilkka Törmä
|date = January 13, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post140294">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 140294
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = dani
|date = January 14, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post140295">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 140295
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = Oscar Cunningham
|date = January 14, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="message1148473397018370048">{{CiteDiscord
|author = mu.sicman
|date = September 4, 2023
|channel = cgol
|id = 1148473397018370048
}}</ref>
https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/
<ref name="p180119">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|f = 7
|t = 3180
|p = 180119
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = 400spartans
|date = March 12, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="p180133">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 180133
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = 400spartans
|date = March 12, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="p193366">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 193366
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = 400spartans
|date = September 2, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="p193510">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 193510
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = September 4, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="message1330285175996940398">{{CiteDiscord
|author = mu.sicman
|date = January 18, 2025
|channel = cgol
|id = 1330285175996940398
}}</ref>
<ref name="message1357522386236477543">{{CiteDiscord
|author = mu.sicman
|date = April 4, 2025
|channel = cgol
|id = 1357522386236477543
}}</ref>
<ref name="post231519">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 231519
|title = Re: Stable patterns which are not glider-constructible
|author = Keith Amling
|date = July 15, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post235953">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 235953
|title = Re: Stable patterns which are not glider-constructible
|author = 400spartans
|date = September 27, 2026
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* {{LinkCatagolue|xs374_ck3qp3ck3qp3ck3qp3ck3qp3ckzp96ki6p96ki6p96ki6p96ki6p9zijc95cijc95cijc95cijc95cijz56ojbo56ojbo56ojbo56ojbo56zbdg6mgbdg6mgbdg6mgbdg6mgbdzmq1dc1mq1dc1mq1dc1mq1dc1mqzw3213w3213w3213w3213|patternname=374-cell unconstructible still life}} (by Ilkka Törmä)
* {{LinkCatagolue|xs306_wgg0g84s0gg39s0gg08o0kczw1c59cjic59cjic59cjic59aczg08objo65objo65objo65objog4cz11ggm6gdbgm6gdbgm6gdbgm6g08oz3201cd1qm1cd1qm1cd1qm1cd11zw359q3kc3pq3kc3pq3kc3pajozy032011y039cx321|patternname=306-cell unconstructible still life}} (by Oscar Cunningham)
* [[Adam P. Goucher]]. [https://cp4space.hatsya.com/2022/01/14/conway-conjecture-settled/ 29-year-old Conway conjecture settled]. January 14, 2022.

[[Category:Synthesis]]

Egyptian walk

2026-09-18T16:15:55Z

Dvgrn: fix the preposition

{{Stilllife
|name = Egyptian walk
|pname = egyptianwalk
|c = 12
|bx = 7
|by = 4
|fc = 35.3
|symmetry = .e
|discoverer = Robert Wainwright
|discoverer2 = Everett Boyer
|discoveryear = 1973
|rulemin = B/S23
|rulemax = B3678/S012345678
|rulespecial = [[Conway's Game of Life|Conway Life]], [[HighLife]]
|isorulemin = B/S2ae3nr
|isorulemax = B2-ac34-nr5-n678/S012345678
|synthesis = 6
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|apgcode = xs12_321f84c
|niemiecid = 12.117
|pentadecathlonid = 12.85
}}
'''Egyptian walk''' is a {{slcells|12|text=12-cell}} [[still life]] and the smallest stabilization of [[Z-hexomino]]. It can be partitioned into two [[snake]]s.

== Construction ==
This still life is known to be [[Glider synthesis|constructible]] with 6 gliders.<ref name="catagolue_object" /> A {{gliders|6}} synthesis was found by [[Chris Cain]] on March 13, {{year|2015}} based on a suggested predecessor from [[Matthias Merzenich]].<ref name="post17934" /> Some known syntheses can be found in [[Mark Niemiec's database]].<ref name="niemiec" />

{| style="margin:auto;width:300px"
|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 43, y = 30, rule = B3/S23
10bo$11bo13bo$9b3o14bo$24b3o6$11b3o$13bo9b3o10bob2o$12bo12bo10b2obo$7b
2o15bo14bob2o$6bobo30b2obo$8bo13$3o$2bo$bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 400 THEME Book ZOOM 10 AUTOSTART GPS 6 T 0 PAUSE 3 T 8 PAUSE 1 T 65 PAUSE 1 T 70 PAUSE 2 LOOP 71 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A 6G synthesis<ref name="post17934" /><ref name="catagolue_object" />
}}
|-
|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 37, y = 30, rule = B3/S23
12bo$13b2o$12b2o$20bo$19bo$19b3o3$24bo$24bobo$12bo11b2o$13b2o$12b2o$
30bob2o$30b2obo$33bob2o$33b2obo2$10b2o$b2o6bobo$obo8bo$2bo3$5b3o$7bo$
6bo$13b2o$12b2o$14bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 400 THEME Book ZOOM 10 AUTOSTART GPS 6 T 0 PAUSE 3 T 14 PAUSE 1 T 25 PAUSE 2 LOOP 26 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A 8G synthesis<ref name="niemiec" />
}}
|}

== Occurrence ==
Among the 121 still lifes with 12 cells, this is the 114th [[List of common still lifes|most common]] (i.e. 8th rarest) still life according to [[Catagolue]].

There are no occurrences of this still life in final patterns of collisions in [[Octohash database|octohash]], octo3obj or octo3g databases.

== See also ==
* [[Amphisbaena]]
* [[Big S]]
* [[Cis-snake-tie]]
* [[Integral sign]]
* [[Snake bridge snake]]
* [[Snake siamese snake]]
* [[Trans-snake-tie]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post17934">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 17934
|title = Re: Soup search results
|author = Chris Cain
|date = March 13, 2015
}}</ref>
<ref name="catagolue_object">{{LinkCatagolue|xs12_321f84c|style=nobullet}}</ref>
<ref name="niemiec">{{LinkNiemiec|p1-12.htm|The 121 twelve-bit still-lifes|rle=12/12-117.rle|nobullet=nobullet}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* {{LinkCatagolue|xs12_321f84c}}
* {{LinkPentadecathlonObject|12.85}}

__NOTOC__

Template:CurrentNews

2026-08-19T20:21:47Z

Dvgrn: move 'stentor' announcement from \editcopy

Template:CurrentNews/editcopy

2026-08-19T19:55:43Z

Dvgrn: Move suggestion to CurrentNews

Unique father problem

2026-08-05T13:27:14Z

Dvgrn: adjust minimal patch for self-forcing 154 live cells -- 252 specified cells are needed rather than 251

__NOTOC__
{{Pattern
|name = Unique father problem
|pname = uniquefatherproblemsolved
|type = Problem
|c = 258
|bx = 28
|by = 22
|symmetry = C2_4
|synthesis = 0
|discoverer = Ilkka Törmä
|discoverer2 = Ville Salo
|discoveryear = 2022
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 500 ]]
}}
The '''unique father problem''' is the following question, posed by [[John Conway]] in 1972 in [[Lifeline Volume 6]] with an associated $50 cash prize,<ref name="lifelinevol6" /> along with the [[grandfather problem]]:

:''Is there a stable configuration whose only father is itself (with some fading junk some distance away not being counted)?

The problem was answered positively by [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] on January 13, {{year|2022}}, with a {{times|22|28}} region that must appear in all of its predecessors. This is shown in the infobox to the right, with the gray cells indicating the boundary of this region. This can be stabilized to form a {{times|26|32}} [[still life]] consisting mostly of repeated [[four snakes around block]] units with population 374, which cannot be constructed from scratch by any means.<ref name="post140258" /> [[Dani]] reduced this still life by 40 cells within the same bounding box.<ref name="post140294" /> It was further reduced by [[Oscar Cunningham]] to its provably minimum population of 306 but with a larger bounding box.<ref name="post140295" /> In particular, there is no [[glider synthesis]] for any still life that contains this region.

{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = unconstructiblestilllife
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 500 ]]
|position = center
|caption = {{times|26|32}} unconstructible still life with population 334 (minimum bounding box)
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = unconstructiblestilllife2
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 500 ]]
|position = center
|caption = {{times|34|28}} unconstructible still life with population 306 (minimum population)
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}

== Reductions ==
On September 4, {{year|2023}}, [[400spartans]] used a modified version of Törmä and Salo's "gol-agars" search program to find several more self-forcing agar patches, including one that allowed for the creation of a 278-cell unsynthesizable still life.<ref name="message1148473397018370048" />

{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = selfforcing21x6and23x20
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 ]]
|position = center
|caption = {{times|21|6}} self-forcing agar found by 400spartans, and {{times|23|20}} self-forcing patch made from the agar
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = unconstructiblestilllifepop278
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 ]]
|position = center
|caption = {{times|31|28}} unconstructible still life, stabilizing the {{times|23|20}} self-forcing patch
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}
On March 12, {{year|2024}}, [[400spartans]] reduced this once more to a patch of 389 specified cells with a population-236 stabilisation.<ref name="p180119" /> The self-forcing region was found as a finite subset of a self-forcing [[agar]] with the constraint that all live cells in the agar have three living neighbours, and all dead cells have four. All known self-forcing still life patches have related infinite agars with this property.<ref name="p180133" />

On September 2, {{year|2024}}, 400spartans found a population-184 stabilization of a self-forcing patch with 283 specified cells.<ref name="p193366" /> The discovery process for the new unconstructible still life involved the use of a hybrid tool incorporating ideas from Törmä and Salo's gol-agars program and [[mtve]]'s grandfatherless pattern algorithm, which builds up a pattern by adding overlapping 3x3 squares while keeping track of the number of predecessors within the same bounding box. A self-forcing patch with as few as 271 specified cells exists for this still life.<ref name="p193510" />

In January 2025, 400spartans reduced the population record again to 162 live cells.<ref name="message1330285175996940398" /> On April 4, they reduced the population record to 154 cells by identifying small regions that don't appear in known self-forcing patches, searching for large irregular agars without these, finding each one's maximal self-forcing subset and checking whether random {{times|24|24}} subsections of this are self-forcing.<ref name="message1357522386236477543" /> The smallest known total required number of specified cells for the 154-live-cell patch is 272 -- i.e., 118 dead cells must also be specified.<ref name="post231519" />
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 28, y = 26, rule = LifeHistory
2.A8.2A$2.3A5.A.A$5.A4.A2.2A2.2A$4.C2D2CD2CDC2DCD.A.A$4.2CD2C2DC2DCD
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D2CD2C2DC$3.2DC4DC2D2C2DC4DCD$2A.C2DCD2CD2C2DC2DCD2CDC2A.A$A.2ACD2CDC
2DC2D2CD2CDC2DC.2A$4.DC4DC2D2C2DC4DC2D$4.C2D2CD2CDC2DC2D2CD2CD$4.2CD
2C2DC2DCD2CD2C2DCD$4.DC4DC2D2C2DC4DC2D$3.A2DCD2CD2C2DC2DCD2CD2CA.A$3.
ACD2CDC2DC2D2CD2CDC2DA.2A$5.A.3DC2D2C2DC4DCD$5.A.2CD2CDC2DC2D2CD2C$6.
A.A.DC2DCD2CD2C2DC$9.2A2.2A2.A4.A$15.A.A5.3A$15.2A8.A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-236 unconstructible still life displayed in [[LifeHistory]]. A self-forcing patch is highlighted, with live cells being white and dead cells being red.
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 22, y = 25, rule = LifeHistory
10.2A$9.A2.A$7.A2.A.A$.2A3.D2CDC2D2A$.A2.2CDC2D2CDC2D2C$2.2ACDC2DC2DC
2D2CDA$4.3D2CDC2D2C3D.A$4.2CDC2D2CDC2D2C.A$2.2ACDC2DC2DC2D2CDA$.A2.3D
2CDC2D2C3D$2.A.2CDC2D2CDC2D2C$.ACD2C2DC2DC2DCD2C$2.5D2CDC2D2C3D$.A2CD
2C2DCD2C2DCDC2A$A2.2CDC2DC2DC2D2CDA.A$A2.4D2CDC2D2C3D3.A$.2ACD2C2DCD
2C2DCDC3A$3.2CDC2DC2DC2D2CDA$3.4D2CDC2D2C3D$2.AD2CDC2D2CDC2D2C$.A.2CD
C2DC2DC2D2CDA$.A3.2D2CDC2D2C3D.A$2.A.ACDC2D2CDC2DC2A$3.2A.A2.A2.A2.2A
$10.2A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-184 unconstructible still life, with a self-forcing patch containing 283 specified cells highlighted.
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 22, y = 22, rule = LifeHistory
16.A$.2A12.A.A$.A2.2C.DCD2C2DCD.A$2.ADC2DCD2C2DCD2C.2A$3.C2D2C4D2C2DC
2.A$3.D2C2DCD2C2DC2DCD$3.2DC2D2CDC2D2CD2C$3.C2D2C4D2C2DC2DA$2.D2CDC2D
2CDC2DC2DC.A$.AC2DC2D2CDC2D2CD2CD.A$A.DC2D2C4D2C2DC2DC.A$A.D2CDC2D2CD
C2DC2DCDA$.AC2DC2D2CDC2D2CD2C$2.DC2D2C4D2C2DC2DC$2.D2CDC2D2CDC2DC2DCD
A$.AC2DC2D2CDC2D2CD2C2.A$A.DC2D2C4D2C2DC2D2A$.A.2CDC2D2CDC2DC2DC$2.A.
DC2D2CDC2.ACDAC$3.2A12.A$17.A.A$18.2A!
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|caption = A population-162 unconstructible still life, with a self-forcing patch of 272 specified cells.
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{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 23, y = 22, rule = LifeHistory
6.2A$5.A2.A3.2A$4.DC2DCD2.A3.2A$3.ACD2CD2CDCD.C2.A$2.DC2DC2DC2D2C2DC2D
C$.AC2DC2DC2DC2D2CD2CDA$A.D2CD2CD2CDC2DC2DCDA$.A.C2DC2DC2D2C2DC2DC$2A
.2DC2DC2DC2D2CD2CD$.A.D2CD2CD2C2DC2DC2D.2A$.A.C2DC2DC2D2C2DC2DA2.A$2.
ADC2DC2DC2DCD2CDACDA$3.D2CD2CD2C2DC2DC2DC$3.A2DC2DC2D2C2DC2DCD$3.2A.2D
C2DC2D2CD2CD$7.2CD2C2DC2DC2D$6.A2DC2D2C2DC2DC$5.A.C2DC2DCD2C.2A$5.A.2C
D2C2DCD.A$6.A.DCD4.A.A$7.A.A6.A$8.A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 16 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 THEME LifeHistory ]]
|caption = A population-154 unconstructible still life, with a self-forcing patch of 252 specified cells.
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{{gallery bottom}}
== See also ==
* [[Grandfather problem]]
* [[Unsynthesizable oscillator 1]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="lifelinevol6">{{CiteLifeline
|vol = 6
|pages = p. 1
}}</ref>
<ref name="post140258">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 140258
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = Ilkka Törmä
|date = January 13, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post140294">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 140294
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = dani
|date = January 14, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post140295">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 140295
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = Oscar Cunningham
|date = January 14, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="message1148473397018370048">{{CiteDiscord
|author = mu.sicman
|date = September 4, 2023
|channel = cgol
|id = 1148473397018370048
}}</ref>
https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/
<ref name="p180119">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|f = 7
|t = 3180
|p = 180119
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = 400spartans
|date = March 12, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="p180133">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 180133
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = 400spartans
|date = March 12, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="p193366">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 193366
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = 400spartans
|date = September 2, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="p193510">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 193510
|title = Re: Unproven conjectures
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = September 4, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="message1330285175996940398">{{CiteDiscord
|author = mu.sicman
|date = January 18, 2025
|channel = cgol
|id = 1330285175996940398
}}</ref>
<ref name="message1357522386236477543">{{CiteDiscord
|author = mu.sicman
|date = April 4, 2025
|channel = cgol
|id = 1357522386236477543
}}</ref>
<ref name="post231519">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 231519
|title = Re: Stable patterns which are not glider-constructible
|author = Keith Amling
|date = July 15, 2026
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* {{LinkCatagolue|xs374_ck3qp3ck3qp3ck3qp3ck3qp3ckzp96ki6p96ki6p96ki6p96ki6p9zijc95cijc95cijc95cijc95cijz56ojbo56ojbo56ojbo56ojbo56zbdg6mgbdg6mgbdg6mgbdg6mgbdzmq1dc1mq1dc1mq1dc1mq1dc1mqzw3213w3213w3213w3213|patternname=374-cell unconstructible still life}} (by Ilkka Törmä)
* {{LinkCatagolue|xs306_wgg0g84s0gg39s0gg08o0kczw1c59cjic59cjic59cjic59aczg08objo65objo65objo65objog4cz11ggm6gdbgm6gdbgm6gdbgm6g08oz3201cd1qm1cd1qm1cd1qm1cd11zw359q3kc3pq3kc3pq3kc3pajozy032011y039cx321|patternname=306-cell unconstructible still life}} (by Oscar Cunningham)
* [[Adam P. Goucher]]. [https://cp4space.hatsya.com/2022/01/14/conway-conjecture-settled/ 29-year-old Conway conjecture settled]. January 14, 2022.

[[Category:Synthesis]]

Template:CurrentNews

2026-07-30T12:26:36Z

Dvgrn: fix redlink broken by a rename

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''July 26''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=231968#p231968 discovers] the first [[period-39 glider gun]] based on a [[dependent reflector]] by [[Nora Brown]]. This was the highest unsolved period and the last remaining multiple of 3. Only seven periods are still unsolved: 17, 19, 23, 26, 29, 31, and 38.
* '''July 23''': [[GilGil]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=231887#p231887 re-creates] previous macro-pattern "printer" functionality using (12,4)c/62 [[solifuge]] technology.
* '''June 22''': [[Brithos]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=230117#p230117 first-ever forum post] contains a very large completed [[Unnamed_(28,3)c/84_spaceship|engineered spaceship]] based on the [[(28,3)c/84 Herschel climber]] reaction.
* '''June 12''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229719#p229719 solves] another frontier synthesis problem, [[37P3H1V0.1]], by creating a component that can add an extension onto [[25P3H1V0.1]]; only three known 37-bit spaceships ([[37P3H1V0.2]], [[37P4H1V0]], and [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d/b3s23 xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d]) are now without known syntheses.
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 116 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 23''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228999#p228999 uses LightCone] to find a new [[Spartan]] glider-to-R-pentomino [[converter]] starting with a glider-activated pi explosion, with repeat time 187.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-07-30T12:25:17Z

Dvgrn: change Catagolue link for unsynthed p3 spaceship to 37P3H1V0.2

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''July 26''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=231968#p231968 discovers] the first [[period-39 glider gun]] based on a [[dependent reflector]] by [[Nora Brown]]. This was the highest unsolved period and the last remaining multiple of 3. Only seven periods are still unsolved: 17, 19, 23, 26, 29, 31, and 38.
* '''July 23''': [[GilGil]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=231887#p231887 re-creates] previous macro-pattern "printer" functionality using (12,4)c/62 [[solifuge]] technology.
* '''June 22''': [[Brithos]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=230117#p230117 first-ever forum post] contains a very large completed [[Unnamed_(28,3)c/84_spaceship|engineered spaceship]] based on the [[(28,3)c/84 Herschel climber]] reaction.
* '''June 12''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229719#p229719 solves] another frontier synthesis problem, [[37P3H1V0]], by creating a component that can add an extension onto [[25P3H1V0.1]]; only three known 37-bit spaceships ([[37P3H1V0.2]], [[37P4H1V0]], and [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d/b3s23 xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d]) are now without known syntheses.
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 116 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 23''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228999#p228999 uses LightCone] to find a new [[Spartan]] glider-to-R-pentomino [[converter]] starting with a glider-activated pi explosion, with repeat time 187.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-07-23T18:29:52Z

Dvgrn: mention GilGil's new oblique printer pattern

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''July 23''': [[GilGil]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=231887#p231887 re-creates] previous macro-pattern "printer" functionality using (12,4)c/62 [[solifuge]] technology.
* '''June 22''': [[Brithos]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=230117#p230117 first-ever forum post] contains a very large completed [[Unnamed_(28,3)c/84_spaceship|engineered spaceship]] based on the [[(28,3)c/84 Herschel climber]] reaction.
* '''June 12''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229719#p229719 solves] another frontier synthesis problem, [[37P3H1V0]], by creating a component that can add an extension onto [[25P3H1V0.1]]; only three known 37-bit spaceships ([[37P4H1V0]], [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq3_gxooy3ss0ac4552z0330110ee0561/b3s23 xq3_gxooy3ss0ac4552z0330110ee0561] and [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d/b3s23 xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d]) are now without known syntheses.
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 116 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 23''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228999#p228999 uses LightCone] to find a new [[Spartan]] glider-to-R-pentomino [[converter]] starting with a glider-activated pi explosion, with repeat time 187.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

LifeWiki:News archive

2026-07-23T10:05:13Z

Dvgrn: /* 2026 */ retroactively add unidimensional spaceship 5 into a gap in news items

The following is a list of past news items that ran on the [[Main Page]].

==Current news==
The [[Template:CurrentNews|following news items]] are currently live on the [[Main Page]]:
{{CurrentNews|nolinks=true}}
==2026==
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].
* '''April 30''' [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1849&p=228477#p228230 finds] a new stable G-to-X -- a [[glider]] to [[R-pentomino]] [[converter]] with a [[repeat time]] of 194 ticks.
* '''April 25''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=228088#p228078 constructs] the first [[oblique]] [[sawtooth spaceship]].
* '''April 24''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228048#p228048 posts] the first in a series of [[Demonoid]] spaceships with four-digit populations, radically smaller than any previous design, due to the hyper-optimized Snarkmaker and further contributions by [[russellsprouts]]; a major improvement is a [[Oncoming glider gun construction arm|completely new mechanism]] for a much more efficient [[construction arm]] than the standard [[single-channel]] design, using a temporary [[Simkin glider gun]] to produce slow salvos with less than three input gliders per output glider on average.
* '''April 9''': [[russellsprouts]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=227620#p227620 publishes] a hyper-optimized [[single-channel]] [[Snarkmaker]] recipe consisting of just 266 gliders -- nearly an order of magnitude improvement over the previous standard 2428-glider recipe that has been used in many [[self-constructing]] patterns.
* '''March 31''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=227310#p227310 builds] a fifth [[unidimensional spaceship]] with a ten-digit simplified velocity; previous editions all had eleven-digit simplified velocities.
* '''March 17''': [[ElijahKen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=226884#p226884 uses slmake] to assemble two [[self-constructing]] [[oblique spaceship]]s, an ibisship and a flamingoship, with [[single-channel]] construction recipes and a much simpler design than the original [[Gemini]] ibisship; the flamingoship is the first ship constructed in Conway's Life with a (6m,m) offset.
* '''February 22''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225881#p225881 constructs] a gun for [[25P3H1V0.1]] using a sparker-assisted synthesis requiring only 12 gliders.
* '''February 21''': [[siffrin normal]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225892#p225892 discovers] a new smallest period-103 oscillator, [[Siffrin's p103]], in a [[D4_x4]]-symmetric soup. With a minimum population of 68 cells, this is over 100 cells smaller than the [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xp103_yzyzyv33y58e1e88gzyzyzyzy3330311ybckzyzyzyz03224e6y725acy165lozyzyzylgs2552ypggzyzyzyxo8a6yf11zyzyzyma64y8742zzzzzyzyz4kcy86c2zzzzzyzy9gcoy8ca8zzzzzymg8oy88okzyo1ok46zy433ypg88ge2z6a8oy1ck8gy7os8gggy611z0bdy41y4g0ggy11zyd255t0t5y5ggzyh1y711/b3s23 previous record holder]. It is also the first known engine-based oscillator of this period, as well as the first to occur [[seminatural]]ly.
* '''February 20''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225769#p225769 discovers] a pre-pulsar-to-Herschel converter that can be combined with an older pulsar [[factory]] by [[Luke Kiernan]] to create a new Herschel conduit, R338. [[Jormungant]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225790#p225790 finds] a way to remove an awkward outbound glider by colliding it with the [[first natural block]] of the output Herschel, allowing many more connections to this conduit than would otherwise be possible.
* '''February 19''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225700#p225700 monomerizes] a [[T-nose]]d period-9 sparker found by [[siffrin normal]] on February 11. [[iNoMed]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225703#p225703 reduces] the size of the period-27 glider gun using this new sparker.
* '''February 16''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225566#p225566 designs and assembles] a working [[single-channel]] [[linear propagator]], with a bounding box less than 1/17th of the size (in each dimension) of the original 2013 linear propagator, with population somewhat lower also -- 83477 cells in many of the phases.
* '''February 9''': [[Evin]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225211#p225211 posts] two versions of a record-breaking "[[SlowSilver Demonoid]]", considerably smaller in bounding box and population than the previous smallest Demonoid, the [[0hd Demonoid]]; [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225193#p225193 produces] a version of the first SlowSilver Demonoid with a reduced bounding box.
* '''January 30''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224802#p224802 produces] a smaller unidimensional spaceship with a 776,525,415-cell bounding box, and a slightly higher velocity of 2c/27735693820; the previous version had length 795,435,669 and speed 2c/28409785756. [[I6_I6]] posted a 3,980,418-glider synthesis [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224804#p224804 the same day].
* '''January 18-24''': [[David Bell]] uses the new period-10 spaceship to construct [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224491#p224491 the first period-10 c/2 rake] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224234#p224234 multiple] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224390#p224390 families] of puffers, completing the collection of c/2 puffers with every possible multiple-of-10 period.
* '''January 18''': [[I6_I6]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224181#p224181 constructs] a gun for [[70P2H1V0.1]]. This is the first gun that fires a period-2 spaceship.
* ''' January 13-14''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223977#p223977 discovers] a new period-10 c/2 spaceship with a significant side spark. [[Hartmut Holzwart]] subsequently finds [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223993#p223993 low population] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224036#p224036 high-clearance] variants.
* '''January 11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223859#p223859 constructs] [[silk moth]], a (15,11)c/107 caterpillar-type spaceship using a reaction in which an [[I-heptomino]] non-destructively crawls along a glider wave while emitting an extra glider and leaving behind a block.
* '''January 10''': [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223840#p223840 discovers] a new H-to-R [[conduit]], HL150R, with a repeat time of 108 ticks.
* '''January 4''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223596#p223596 constructs] a [[Unidimensional spaceship 2|significantly reduced unidimensional spaceship]] that is over 4 times smaller and 4 times faster than the original.
* '''January 1''': The [[much smaller (34,7)c/156 spaceship]] wins the 2024 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition.

==2025==
* '''December 27''': A five-month-long collaboration concludes when [[vilc]] successfully [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223246#p223246 synthesizes] the final 23-bit [[still life]] for which no glider synthesis was known; a recipe is now available for all 1,646,147 [[strict still life]]s with 23 bits.
* '''December 23''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223059#p223059 assembles] [[giraffe weevil]], a [[self-supporting]] (28,7)c/448 [[giraffeship]], using a spine made of xWSS convoys that are arranged to release a glider whenever they encounter a block, while moving the block by (7,-28); this mechanism supports limited [[slow salvo]] construction equivalent to the arrangements of loaves in a [[Caterloopillar]], but allows for oblique rather than orthogonal travel.
* '''December 20-21''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222948#p222948 builds] two [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223006#p223006 "fleet puller"] [[growing spaceship]]s, where the tail end pulls a [[fleet]] along with it two diagonal steps at a time, if the fleet is present; otherwise a blinker is alternately created and destroyed.
* '''December 19''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222911#p222911 constructs] a very compact [[traffic jam]] signal injector based on the [[syringe]], with the same low [[repeat time]] (78 ticks, overclockable to 74 ticks but not 75 since traffic jam wicks are period 2).
* '''December 17-19''': [[qqd]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222856#p222856 creates] a stable [[Heisenburp]] device with a repeat time of 837 ticks that can detect passing [[solifuge]] spaceships -- or [[waterbear]]s or other oblique spaceships that use the same technology to turn LWSS streams 90 degrees at a corner. ElijahKen subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222920#p222920 reduces] the [[repeat time]] to 597 ticks.
* '''December 14-21''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222700#p222700 discovers] a "wave minstrel", a [[(2,1)c/6]] [[tagalong]] for [[Sir Robin]] that supports a connection to [[knightwave]] -- followed a week later by [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222977#p222977 another] completely new [[minstrel]]; these are the first new minstrel tagalongs since the [[baby minstrel]] appeared in {{year|2023}}. Both of them are tagalongs to the wandering minstrel, with initial sections that are different from each other and also from the connecting minstrel.
* '''December 10''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222522#p222522 builds] a [[stable]] MWSS-to-HWSS [[hammer]] (a device made only from stable circuitry that converts an MWSS directly into an HWSS) in response to a construction challenge.
* '''December 10''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222545#p222545 builds] an "exponentially spaced binary counter" in response to a construction challenge.
* '''December 9''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222483#p222483 constructs] a gun for a [[solifuge]] variant based on glider syntheses by [[hibiscus]], [[iNoMed]], and Goldtiger997. This is by far the smallest known gun for an [[oblique spaceship]].
* '''December 2-7''': [[Nora Brown]] constructs "[[solifuge]]" camelships with greatly reduced [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222287#p222287 bounding box] (with [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222342#p222342 slight additional reduction] by [[Elijah Ken]]) and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222422#p222422 population] using improved (12,4)c/62 technology; the new designs fit inside a minimal bounding box of {{times|315|287}} and have a minimum population of 1415 respectively.
* '''December 2''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=222136#p222136 completes] a [[Unidimensional spaceship 1|unidimensional spaceship]] with a speed of 2c/133076755768 and a bounding box of {{times|1|3707300605}} based on preliminary work by many other contributors.
* '''December 1''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7111 voting begins] for the [[Pattern of the Year]] 2024 competition. Users have until the end of December to cast their votes.
* '''November 30''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222000#p222000 constructs] a complete [[self-supporting]] [[Solifuge|(12,4)c/62 spaceship]], named "solifuge", based on an oblique [[crawler]] made up of four copies of a versatile [[LOM]]-based reaction; the spaceship is a tiny fraction of the size of previously known [[camelship]]s.
* '''November 29''': [[branoc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221972#p221972 builds] a new "B2D" unit -- a two-dimensional memory storage mechanism used by [[APGsembly]]-based calculators -- using components from [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214963#p214963 enofet's design] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214883#p214883 EvinZL's boat reactions].
* '''November 28''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221926#p221926 completes] the first-ever signal loop containing a segment of 5c/9 wire, combining previous discoveries by [[Extrementhusiast]], [[Simon Ekström]], and [[Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''November 24''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221791#p221791 updates] the original [[Thessalonic Demonoid]] to be fully Thessalonic (circuitry entirely made from eaters and blocks, with no temporary Snarks at any stage).
* '''November 18''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221591#p221591 discovers] a period-14 [[pipsquirter]] using a [[drifter]] reaction by [[Adam P. Goucher]].
* '''November 1-11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220821#p220821 confirms] that [[70P5H2V0]] is the only strict, symmetric, even-width, period-5 2c/5 orthogonal spaceship up to 70 cells, simultaneously showing that [[30P5H2V0]] and [[34P5H2V0]] are the only period-5 2c/5 orthogonal spaceships up to 35 cells. Amling later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221244#p221244 extends] these results to show that there are exactly three symmetric, even-width, period-5 2c/5 spaceships up to 74 cells and no additional period-5 2c/5 spaceships up to 37 cells.
* '''November 5''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221123#p221123 discovers] [[Hilton's p66]] via D8_1-symmetric [[apgsearch]]. This is the first period-66 oscillator to occur [[seminatural]]ly
* '''November 3''': [[qqd]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220926#p220926 finds] a direct conversion mechanism using only stable [[catalyst]]s, with a [[glider]] input and [[traffic jam]] output.
* '''October 27''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220431#p220431 confirms] that [[mazing]] and [[mold]] are the only period-4 oscillators up to 17 cells.
* '''October 26''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220366#p220366 discovers] a period-2 Rx130 [[Herschel conduit]] using only catalysts more [[Most_common_objects_on_Catagolue|common]] than [[eater 1]] and constructs a common-catalyst Herschel loop using this new conduit along with [[R64]], [[sidesnagger]], and a boat-and-toad glider eater.
* '''October 26''': The [[Golly Gang]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220354#p220354 releases] Golly 5.0.
* '''October 22-26''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://gitlab.com/mvr2/apgmera/-/commit/a6b0dff94cd8fe786ebf859cb742e5d2b6a2a35b implements] the remaining GPU symmetries for [[apgsearch]] (fourfold rotational and all reflectional types with diagonal lines of symmetry). Using this, [[siffrin normal]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220358#p220358 discovers] new oscillators of periods 7 and 8.
* '''October 23''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220160#p220160 substantially improves] a heuristic originally developed by [[Mitchell Riley]] for quickly identifying [[ash]] patterns containing objects from a desired list without triggering false positives from common objects.
* '''October 20''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220019#p220019 completes] a period-3 [[bouncer]] based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]]. This is the first fast period-3 [[colour-changing]] reflector to be found.
* '''October 18''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219897#p219897 completes] a [[Thessalonic Demonoid]], the first self-constructing spaceship with permanent circuitry that consists only of eaters and blocks.
* '''October 17''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219840#p219840 discovers] a small period-4 HWSS-to-B-heptomino converter and uses this to construct a compact period-8 HWSS reflector.
* '''October 5-13''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219697#p219697 confirms] that the [[glider]], [[crab]], and [[wings]] are the only period-4 c/4 diagonal spaceships up to 27 cells.
* '''October 9''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219505#p219505 discovers] a 6-glider [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for [[fuse with two long tails]], proving that every 12-bit still life can be synthesised with 6 or fewer gliders.
* '''October 4''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219224#p219224 confirms] that [[pseudo-barberpole]] is the only period-5 oscillator up to 15 cells.
* '''October 4''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219193#p219193 builds] a [[sawtooth]] pattern with a new front-end speed, [[c/8 diagonal]], based on two streams of gliders from c/12 forward rakes repeatedly catching up to a [[walrus]].
* '''September 23-October 4''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218791#p218791 constructs] [[gliderless]] guns for [[LWSS on HWSS 3]], [[MWSS on MWSS 1]], [[Coe ship]], [[loafer]], and [[2-engine Cordership]]. These are the first known gliderless guns for non-[[standard spaceship|standard]] spaceships.
* '''September 26''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218702#p218702 builds] a [[splitter]] for a specific triplet of gliders with a [[repeat time]] of 57, one tick smaller than the record set by Entity Valkyrie on September 7.
* '''September 21''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218322#p218322 produces] the first known gliderless [[sawtooth]] pattern, involving streams of [[LWSS]] pairs chasing a [[turtle]].
* '''September 2-15''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217959#p217959 further reduces] the [[Leaf_bug_2#Gun|leaf bug]] gun to a bounding box of {{times|82,038|71,679}}, which is more than an order of magnitude reduction in each dimension relative to the original design.
* '''September 10''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217747#p217747 discovers] SW28T249, a new and surprisingly simple [[Spartan]] Herschel-to-glider [[converter]] with a [[repeat time]] of 249 ticks.
* '''September 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217567#p217567 constructs] a stable duplicator for the LWSS-on-LWSS [[pseudo]]-spaceship with a repeat time of 58 ticks. This is now the lowest known repeat time for a stable duplicator of a moving object or pseudo-object, being 3 ticks lower than [[speed tunnel]]-based glider duplicators.
* '''August 29''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=216920#p216920 reduces] the [[leaf bug 2#Gun|leaf bug gun]] from a bounding box of {{times|1,097,252|829,150}} to a bounding box of {{times|124,834|117,922}}.
* '''August 18-22''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7031 starts a new thread] to track the remaining unsynthesized 23-bit strict still lifes. Progress is being made with a mix of approaches (e.g., new custom components to convert an already synthesized still life to one of the target forms, and also adaptations of soup-search results). An early list of 591 unsolved still lifes was reduced to below 450 as of August 22, and to 222 by September 10.
* '''August 14''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=216063#p216063 constructs] a gun for a variant of [[leaf bug 2]]. This is the first gun to fire a 31c/240 orthogonal spaceship.
* '''August 10''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215877#p215877 discovers] three closely related 2c/7 orthogonal spaceships, two of them bilaterally symmetric, based on a front end by [[shuich01]]. In terms of their {{times|23|28}} bounding box, they are tied as the third smallest known 2c/7 spaceships, after [[weekender]] and [[doo-dah]].
* '''August 5''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215632#p215632 further reduces] the repeat time of the [[2c/3 wire|2c/3]] receiver to 504 ticks.
* '''August 1-2''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215428#p215428 reduces] the repeat time of the [[2c/3 wire|2c/3]] receiver to 629 ticks using a new emitter which releases a glider and a [[Herschel]]; [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215500#p215500 the next day], [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] improves the repeat time to 570.
* '''July 26''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] and [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215098#p215098 complete] a synthesis of a 15WSS supported by [[pushalong 1]]. This is the longest [[overweight spaceship]] flotilla synthesized so far.
* '''July 24''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215056#p215056 completes] a proof that all [[overweight spaceship]] flotillas consisting of a single overweight spaceship supported on each side by a single [[standard spaceship]] can be synthesised. This proof relies on earlier work by [[Mark Niemiec]], [[David Buckingham]], [[Dieter Leithner]], [[Martin Grant]], and [[Evin]].
* '''July 23-25''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[KtT]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215037#p215037 complete] a synthesis for [[35P4H1V1]] in 41 gliders. This was the last known unsynthesised spaceship up to 35 bits, and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215062#p215062 leaves] 8 known ships up to 37 bits that are currently unsynthesised.
* '''July 20''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[KtT]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214835#p214835 complete] a synthesis for the previously unbuildable [[37P4H1V1.2]], in 49 gliders.
* '''July 19''': [[enofet]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199849#p199849 posts] a revised 2D memory storage device, capable of being plugged in to calculator mechanisms in place of the much larger and slower 'SQ' unit in [[Osqrtlogt]], which was constructed with 2010-era technology (no [[syringe]]s and no [[Snarks]]).
* '''July 17''': New contributor [[enofet]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214731#p214731 completes] a period-67108864 (2<sup>26</sup>) gun for c/11 Speed Demonoids -- definitely the first gun created for a c/11 spaceship!
* '''July 14''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214543#p214543 completes] a 139-glider synthesis for a 42-cell [[c/3]] spaceship, [[42P3H1V0]]; this is the first new c/3 spaceship synthesized since 2022.
* '''July 12''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214481#p214481 constructs] the final step of a [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for [[34P5H2V0]], and [[vilc]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214483#p214483 completes] the synthesis in 52 gliders (since reduced to 40 gliders). With a minimum population of 34 cells, 34P5H2V0 was the smallest known spaceship without a known glider synthesis. This leaves [[35P4H1V1]] and a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202880#p202880 handful] of [[overweight spaceship]] [[flotilla]]s as the current smallest known unsynthesised spaceships.
* '''July 10''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214373#p214373 discovers] a new elementary Herschel conduit, the third conduit with an "F150" rating; it has a [[repeat time]] of 136, due to using the Herschel's first natural block for cleanup rather than suppressing it.
* '''July 9''': [[David Bell]] uses a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214345#p214345 new backward Cordership rake] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214346#p214346 improve the minpop record] for a [[moving sawtooth]] from 540 cells to 374.
* '''July 3-11''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] and [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214066#p214066 reduce] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214120#p214120 four] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214423#p214423 remaining] 13-glider syntheses to prove that all 16-bit still lifes can be synthesised with 12 or fewer gliders.
* '''June 21''': [[Gustone]] makes adjustments to [[leaf bug 2]] to set separate new records in population ({{times|13179|6698}} at 24757 cells) and bounding box ({{times|12927|6576}} at 24814 cells); a further adjustment improves on both of those records, reaching {{times|12415|6315}} with population 24460.
* '''June 7-14''': A further set of design improvements allows [[Gustone]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=213261#p213261 complete] the [[leaf bug 2]], a record-breaking small macro-spaceship by any metric -- smaller than the [[0hd Demonoid]] in population (26571 vs. 27250) and smaller than the [[water strider]] in bounding box ({{times|13339|7107}} vs. {{times|14023|7309}}).
* '''June 1''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212696#p212696 constructs] an adjustable-period [[Cordership]]-based puffer with a new record minimum population of 249 cells.
* '''May 28-29''': [[shuich01]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212476#p212476 discovers] the first width-25 [[gutter]]-symmetric 2c/7 spaceship. This is the minimum possible width for a period-7 2c/7 ship with this symmetry type. [[iNoMed]] subsequently combines a component from this ship with older 2c/7 components to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212506#p212506 construct] an asymmetric ship which, in terms of its minimum population of 123 cells, is the smallest known 2c/7 ship that does not involve a [[weekender]].
* '''May 21''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=212197#p212197 discovers] [[Blackjack]], a 40-celled 'almost-glide-symmetric' p21 oscillator whose two parts shift a block diagonally in opposite directions with uneven phase shifts, similar to [[David Hilbert]].
* '''May 18''': [[b3s23love]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1452&p=212110#p212110 creates] a {{times|13|13}} "artificial soup" producing a [[2-engine Cordership]] together with debris; the previous predecessor with the smallest bounding box was {{times|14|14}}.
* '''May 15-17''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=211965#p211965 modifies] [[sawtooth 195]] (the smallest known sawtooth by bounding box at {{times|62|56}}) to start at {{times|57|55}}. Entity Valkyrie, David Bell and EvinZL reduce this to a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=212057#p212057 final bounding box] of {{times|48|50}}.
* '''May 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] uses a different hack to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=211900#p211900 find] 1558 new 2-glider still life conversion components, and 14608 3-glider components; upon running the transfer.py script, this is expected to reduce a significant number of syntheses.
* '''May 11''': [[Mitchell Riley]] uses a hacked [[QuFince]] fork to discover [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=211748#p211748 reductions to various syntheses], most notably {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_g8og806hbqicz122643|name=paperclip quad|style=raw}} 10G->8G, [[Cyclic]] 9G->8G, [[cha cha]] 12G->10G, {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_gs2ib8bi2sgz2egjk4kjge2zy0101|name=scrubber with four covers|style=raw}} 23G->16G, and {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_084ob8q4ggz114b2q342|name=square on four griddles|style=raw}} 28G->20G.
* '''March 9 - May 16''': Nick Poyntz ({{LinkCatagolue|xs52_br0raar0rbzqr0raar0rq|name=in Catagolue comments|style=raw}}) finds a 50-glider synthesis for quadruple eater 2 (a patch of the [[tablecloth]]), which DroneBetter, PK22 and KtT successively reduce to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=212010#p212010 28 gliders].
* '''April 16''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=210054#p210054 reduces] a previous population-624 moving sawtooth to produce a variant with a repeating minimum population of 584.
* '''April 12''': [[Shuich01]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209777#p209777 discover] a small [[lobster]] tagalong. This gives the first new period-7 c/7 diagonal spaceship since 2011.
* '''April 6-7''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209381#p209381 constructs] a [[sawtooth]] with a new record minimum repeating population of 168 cells.
* '''April 3''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209209#p209209 sets another new record] for the smallest known unsynthesizable still life, now down from 162 cells to 154 cells, with a [[Unique_father_problem#Reductions|self-forcing patch]] containing 251 cells instead of 272 cells.
* '''April 1''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209042#p209042 constructs] a "corner [[highway robber]]", a new design where gliders coming from two possible perpendicular directions are detected by the same bait beehive.
* '''April 1''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=208915#p208915 constructs] the first 2c/5 orthogonal [[Greyship#Types_of_greyships|against-the-grain greyship]]. Although this greyship uses patches of with-the-grain stripes, it differs from the hybrid greyship in that all with-the-grain patches have a bounded size, while the against-the-grain patch can be made arbitrarily large.
* '''March 26''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=208144#p208144 discovers] the first [[gun#True-period_guns|true]] period-18 glider gun, based on a partial result by [[Period1GliderGun]]
* '''March 22''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207651#p207651 discovers] the first period-14 [[independent reflector]], based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* '''March 21''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207549#p207549 discovers] the first period-15 [[independent reflector]], based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]].
* '''March 16''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207054#p207054 discovers] the first [[gun#True-period_guns|true]] period-14 glider gun. This is the smallest possible gun period.
* '''March 11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=206535#p206535 constructs] a hybrid 2c/5 [[greyship]]. This is the first 2c/5 greyship with an extensible [[against-the-grain]] section.
* '''March 4''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205815#p205815 discovers] a [[period-47 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[Caleb R. Hilton]] that is 85% smaller than the previous record holder.
* '''February 23''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205012#p205012 reduces] the bounding box of the [[period-35 glider gun]] significantly, using [[LLS]] to find smaller component p5 and p7 sparkers.
* '''February 20''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204578#p204578 discovers] a record-breaking small [[period-60 glider gun]] which, after being combined with a p8 [[filter]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204593#p204593 reduced] by [[iNoMed]] and [[hotcrystal0]], gives a [[true period]] p120 glider gun that is smaller than the true-period single-barreled [[Simkin glider gun]].
* '''February 17''': [[Chris Rowett]]'s [[LifeViewer]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204244#p204244 celebrates] its ten-year anniversary.
* '''February 11-20''': Manual and semi-manual searches, as well as search programs like Mitchell Riley's [[LightCone]], continue to turn up new [[Spartan]] conduits such as [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203970#p203970 HL226B], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203694#p203694 HF78B], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204585#p204585 HLx86B]; some of these are fairly compact and potentially useful in [[self-constructing]] circuitry, since they fill long-standing holes in toolkits used for adjusting timing parity and/or output color.
* '''February 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203792#p203792 discovers] the first 2c/5 orthogonal chicken wire [[greyship]].
* '''February 8''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203442#p203442 constructs] a record-breaking small period-80 HWSS gun based on a new p80 R-pentomino hassler by [[Caleb R. Hilton]]. This gun has the unusual property of being [[gliderless]].
* '''February 7''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses [[Logic Life Search]] to reduce the [[p28 glider gun]], making it the tenth period with a true-period gun smaller than the single-barreled [[Simkin glider gun]].
* '''February 6''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses [[Logic Life Search]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203178#p203178 complete] a single-engine p57 glider gun based on a partial result by [[ElijahKen]]. Subsequent reductions by Merzenich, ElijahKen, [[iNoMed]], and [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203255#p203255 result] in a single-engine gun that is 45% smaller than the previous 2-engine gun.
* '''February 3''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203003#p203003 discovers] and [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203014#p203014 synthesises] a new 32-cell 2c/4 orthogonal spaceship.
* '''February 1''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202848#p202848 synthesises] LWSS pulling [[Unnamed tagalong 23P4H2V0]]. At 32 cells, this was the smallest known spaceship without a previously known glider synthesis.
* '''January 29-31''': A flurry of activity [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202752#p202752 produces] a transparent-loaf-themed [[highway robber]] with record-breaking recovery time of 550 ticks, [[overclocking|overclockable]] to 537-544, with a suggested mechanism by [[Tawal]] and contributions by [[Louis-François Handfield]], [[Caleb R. Hilton]], [[confocaloid]], [[EvinZL]], and [[Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''January 31-February 2''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202694#p202694 invents] a novel mechanism for a new 31c/240 self-supporting spaceship, the [[water strider]]; over the next few days, the bounding box is then gradually reduced by more than half.
* '''January 28''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202525#p202525 discovers] a 19-glider [[synthesis]] for [[32P4H2V0]]. This leaves LWSS pulling [[Unnamed tagalong 23P4H2V0]] as the only currently known spaceship up to 32 cells without a known glider synthesis.
* '''January 18''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201924#p201924 discovers] a new record smallest-population unsynthesizable still life, population 162, with 271 specified cells in the self-forcing patch (124 ON, 147 OFF); this exactly ties the previous [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193510#p193510 271-cell record] for total specified cells.
* '''January 18''': An apgsearch haul by 'ASA-X Supercomputer' contains the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201903#p201903 first natural appearance] of [[long^9 snake]] from an asymmetric soup, almost a decade after the first occurrence of [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_31248gzy21248go/b3s23 long^8 snake] which currently has two dozen C1 occurrences.
* '''January 18''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201885#p201885 uses] a [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xp30_9f9zbrby18sq36z232xgwgzy0rgc77cgr/b3s23 small period-30 sparker] to reduce the areas of the classic [[period-690 glider gun]] and the [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/guntrue_360/b3s23 period-360 glider gun] by double-digit percentages.
* '''January 8''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201352#p201352 discovers] [[tarantula]], a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]] which, in terms of its minimum population of {{cells|58}} cells, is tied with [[spider]] as the smallest known spaceship of this speed.

==2024==
* '''December 31''': [[blah]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6808 posts a complete package] containing a 32-bit computer implemented in Conway's Life -- the "323" -- along with an assembler script, example programs, extensive HTML documentation and an MP4 introductory video. (!)
* '''December 30-31''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200626#p200626 constructs] an activation step for a [[synthesis]] of the c/5 orthogonal spaceship [[Kermit]]. [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200713#p200713 completes] a 343-glider synthesis through a collaborative effort with several other users.
* '''December 27''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200488#p200488 completes] the [[leaf bug]], a record-breaking new self-supporting 31c/240 spaceship with a smaller population (though larger bounding box) than the previous record-holding self-supporting spaceship (the [[waterbear]]).
* '''December 23''': Rei posts an [[APGsembly]] program that calculates and displays in the Life universe a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200299#p200299 plot of the Mandelbrot set].
* '''December 18-23''': [[Tim Coe]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200083#p200083 reduces] the size of the smallest sawtooth-based diehard from [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=169143#p169143 53×53] to 49×49, [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200295#p200295 reduced again] several days later to 47×47 by b3s23love; the resulting diehard's lifespan is much smaller than the 53×53 diehard's lifespan of 1826659985823844806 ticks -- i.e., the new lifespan of 1237975907532 ticks is only a record for the new reduced bounding box size.
* '''December 18''': [[User:Confocal|confocaloid]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200067#p200067 constructs] a [[Racetrack_(disambiguation)|racetrack]] oscillator showcasing a diagonal 5c/26 [[biblock]] [[wire]]; the wire is supported by an extensible p4 sparker found by Keith Amling [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190922#p190922 in July].
* '''December 14''': A significantly improved compiler and emulator package for [[APGsembly]] version 2 is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199807#p199807 posted] by new contributor [https://conwaylife.com/forums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3758 branoc], with new optimized arithmetic components, sample code and documentation.
* '''December 11''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199619#p199619 completes] a very high-clearance period-7 middleweight sparker based on a partial result by [[hotcrystal0]].
*'''December 5''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199295#p199295 completes] the first [[true-period|true]] [[period-35 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[iNoMed]] and [[hotcrystal0]].
*'''November 18''': [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198122#p198122 discovers] a small, direct [[H-to-MWSS]] conduit with a repeat time of 141 ticks. [[Period1GliderGun]] and [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198142#p198124 subsequently] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198137#p198137 find] variants that reduce the repeat time to 120 ticks.
* '''November 3''': [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197214#p197214 discovers] a new set of connectable Spartan converters with [[E-heptomino]] inputs, further expanding the set of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197272#p197272 known E-heptomino conduits].
* '''November 2''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197089#p197089 finds a way] to use stable catalysts to make a p2 [[traffic jam]] [[wire]] turn a 90-degree corner with no help from [[sparker]]s.
* '''October 28-30''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196777#p196777 builds] the first known [[true]] [[period-47 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[iNoMed]], after which the [[bounding box]] is reduced by more than a factor of four by several contributors over the next two days, from 311 × 289 down to [[Luka Okanishi]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196889#p196889 greatly simplified design] at 147 × 144.
* '''October 20''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196315#p196315 completes] a redesigned [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|(34,7)c/156 spaceship]] with a bounding box of (52514, 158980) and minimum population of 655,594; this is less than 1/38th of the population and less than 1/6000th of the area of the previous version of this spaceship constructed by [[Luka Okanishi]] last year.
* '''October 10''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/search.php?author_id=2896&sr=posts Anivec] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195741#p195741 rebuilds] an initial stage from Mitchell Riley's H-to-Gs into a [[Herschel]]-to-[[B-heptomino]] converter; [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195743#p195743 notices] that this is actually a known [[E-heptomino]] converter appended to a previously unknown Herschel-to-E converter, [[HRx93E]] -- which enables completely new Spartan Herschel conduits [[Rx155]] and [[R194]], among other things.
* '''October 10''': [[Mitchell Riley]]'s "[[LightCone]]" search program [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195724#p195724 finds] several new Spartan [[Herschel]]-to-[[glider]] converters.
* '''October 9''': [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1155&p=195651#p195651 finds] a synthesis for [[popover]].
* '''October 9''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195696#p195696 adapts] Kazyan's [[B29]] spaceship recipe to construct a period-84 gun, with a considerable reduction in size and period from the previous B29 gun (which was period 148).
* '''October 9''' [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195663#p195663 reduces] the glider construction recipe for the [[B29]] spaceship to 16 gliders, with an improvement to 15G by [[User:DroneBetter|DroneBetter]].
* '''October 7-8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195564#p195564 assembles] an adjustable-period oblique [[spaceship]] based on [[(2,1)c/6]] puffers and rakes, alternately building and then burning a (4, 2)c/6 [[bi-block]] [[fuse]]; the next day the spaceship is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195607#p195607 upgraded] to an adjustable-period 48+24N [[forerake]].
* '''October 4''': [[Alex Greason]] finds a large number of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195565#p195565 reduced-cost glider syntheses] by running an exhaustive search in "QuSrc" (a custom-modified version of [[QuFince]]) to inspect all possible 5-glider collisions with glider placements in a 15x15 bounding box.
* '''September 30''': AlphaPhoenix posts a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8pjrVbdafY YouTube video] walking through the process of starting with an arbitrary 16x13 target pattern and finding a 20-step [[predecessor]] of it; 20 steps might be the current record for an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196293#p196293 arbitrary pattern of this width] -- though AlphaPhoenix's chosen pattern was a p2 oscillator, so a very large number of trivial predecessors are known for that specific pattern for any backtracking depth.
* '''September 26''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=194858#p194858 notices] that a [[catalyst]] used in one of [[Simon Ekstrom]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190878#p190878 H-to-Gs from July 29] solves a very long-standing limitation of the stable [[F171]] conduit, reducing its [[repeat time]] from 227 ticks to as low as 120.
* '''September 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] finds [[Lx65 duplicator]], a record-breaking elementary [[Herschel]] [[fanout device]] -- a [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Lx65#Stable_Spartan_catalyst stable Spartan variant] of the known [[Lx65]] conduit, which until now has generally needed sparker support.
* '''September 4''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193512#p193512 makes available] (via a published script) a general synthesis method for all members of the [[Clock#Extensibility|long<sup>N</sup> clock]] family of p2 oscillators.
* '''September 2-4''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193366#p193366 discovers] a population-184 solution to the [[unique father problem]] with a self-forcing patch containing 283 specified (both on and off) cells and fitting in a {{times|16|20}} bounding box, each of these statistics being the smallest known. [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193510#p193510 notes] that a self-forcing patch with as few as 271 specified cells exists for this still life.
* '''September 1''': The [[Spacefiller#Synthesis|Spacefiller synthesis]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193430#p193430 wins] the 2023 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition.
* '''August 29''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193166#p193166 completes] a new smallest period-74 [[gun]] based on a partial result by [[Mitchell Riley]].
* '''August 26''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192907#p192907 discovers] a surprising period-96 [[B-heptomino hassler]] that combines the functionality of p45 and p51 hasslers [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192896#p192896 found] by [[Period1GliderGun]] a day earlier.
* '''August 23''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192750#p192750 completes] the RCT15 optimization project, reducing the tape length by roughly a factor of three from the first working RCT15 pattern -- and now constructing a working [[spacefiller]] instead of Alan Hensel's decimal counter.
* '''August 19''': After a quick sequence of syntheses by several contributors, [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192477#p192477 assembles a recipe] for the final unsynthesized 22-bit still life, xs22_8k487p8z39c321; the 22-bit synthesis project is now complete.
* '''August 14-15''': The number of unsynthesized 22-bit still lifes dropped to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192069#p192069 only 75] by August 14; by the next day, recipes had been found for more than half of the remaining still lifes.
* '''August 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191930#p191930 constructs] a fully rectangular against-the-grain [[greyship]].
* '''August 1''': Voting [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6646 begins] for the 2023 [[Pattern of the Year]] contest, with voting set to end at the end of August.
* '''July 31''': [[vilc]] shows an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191053#p191053 example] of a compact period-32 [[wire#2c/3 wire|2c/3 wire]] transmitter and receiver.
* '''July 31''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191044#p191044 proves] that the 140-cell [[statorless p3]] is the unique smallest possible statorless period-3 oscillator in terms of its minimum population.
* '''July 27''': A long-term effort by [[May13]] starting back in January brings the number of unsynthesized 22-bit still lifes down to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190727#p190727 below 400], with several people contributing more syntheses since then.
* '''July 26''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190627#p190627 discovers] [[86P118]], the smallest known period-118 oscillator, based on a partial by [[iNoMed]].
* '''July 16''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189896#p189896 reduces] the best known [[highway robber]] [[recovery time]] from 742 ticks to 651 ticks.
* '''July 4''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189015#p189015 improves] the repeat time of the [[wire#2c/3 wire|2c/3 receiver]] from 742 ticks to 708, using a [[bronco]], a [[Jubjub reflector]], and an alternate ship-and-beehive [[bait]] proposed by [[Simon Ekström]].
* '''July 3''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189000#p189000 recent optimization effort] orchestrated by [[Vort]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=186557#p186557 starting in June], with many contributions by [[confocaloid]], [[Louis-François Handfield]], and others, has greatly reduced the maximum and average sizes of guns with four-digit prime periods.
* '''June 30''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188787#p188787 optimizes] the [[2-engine Cordership]] seed to use 14 objects instead of 15; on the next day the minimum object count is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188864#p188864 reduced] from 14 to 12.
* '''June 30''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188784#p188784 completes] a period-66 [[crab]] [[gun]] using a variant of Goldtiger997's crab recipe by [[iNoMed]] that allows for low-period guns; [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188803#p188803 builds] a period-61 version.
* '''June 28''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=188666#p188666 improves] the cost of synthesizing a [[crab]] (an important component of fast self-constructing circuitry) from 14 gliders to 11.
* '''June 28''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188652#p188652 constructs] a period-89 [[loafer]] gun based on a very fast synthesis by [[Louis-François Handfield]].
* '''June 27''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[Entity Valkyrie]] set [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188611#p188611 new records] for a compact pseudo-period-16 LWSS gun, using an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188565#p188565 improved insertion recipe by vilc] from the previous day.
* '''June 27''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188596#p188596 updates] the digital-clock seed from May, to make it possible to compile it into a [[slow salvo]] using [[pslmake]].
* '''June 21''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188166#p188166 reworks] the June 11 "loafer bitmap printer" design to use much more compact orthogonal [[MWSS]]-based memory loops.
* '''June 20''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188020#p188020 constructs] the first gun for [[77P6H1V1|a c/6 diagonal spaceship]] using a synthesis found by [[Goldtiger997]] in January 2024.
* '''June 13''': [[whatislife]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187562#p187562 discovers] a [[stable]] 50-cell, {{times|18|14}} {{LinkCatagolue|xp0_wggy09ghuzwd54czwci96z31h88c1vg7p48czw11x1221|name=135-degree LWSS-to-G|style=raw}} using [https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/silk/ Silk], with an input file similar to the sample input used to re-find the [[Snark]] but with an input LWSS instead.
* '''June 11''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187367#p187367 completes] a small, nearly edge-shooting glider-to-loafer converter with p154 technology to match the repeat time of the known 8-glider loafer synthesis.
* '''June 10''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187352#p187352 discovers] (using [[Silk]]) a new [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Spartan_G-to-W-to-H glider-to-wing conduit], which can be connected to a known wing-to-Herschel conduit to make a [[glider-to-Herschel converter]] with only [[eater 1]]s and [[block]]s.
* '''June 8''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187167#p187167 posts] a period-10 [[pipsquirter]], made by combining a known period-10 [[Wire#2c/3_wire|2c/3 signal]] injector found by [[Dongook Lee]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187345#p187345 in 2015] with a new 2c/3-signal-to-pipsquirter [[converter]] from recent [[Silk]] searches.
* '''May 29''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=186198#p186198 posts] a [[one-glider seed]] for a complete 24-hour digital clock mechanism.
* '''May 5''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] reports in a new Discord thread the commencement of coding work on [[Silk]], a new CUDA drifter search program inspired by [[Mitchell Riley]]'s [[Barrister]].
* '''April 30''': [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=183857#p183857 posts] a modification of a partial [[Herschel]]-to-Herschel converter pointed out by [[Anivec]], producing an easily connectable and completely [[Spartan]] [[L141]] conduit with three output gliders including the [[FNG]] and [[SNG]].
* '''April 19''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] completes a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ9BBcskBjY "Herschel Tracks Tutorial"] YouTube video about creating custom oscillators using Herschel conduits.
* '''April 17''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] uses [[qfind]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2031&p=182823#p182823 discover] a new [[c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship that can support a wave [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2070&p=38229#p38229 found] by [[Park Shinhwan]]. Furthermore, it can also support various c/7 pushalongs found by [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[Frank Everdij]].
* '''April 8''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182059#p182059 constructs] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182092#p182092 refines] a puffer demonstrating that all sufficiently high [[c/4 diagonal]] [[rake]] periods are achievable. [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses this to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182134#p182134 construct] a clean p3532+4N rake.
* '''March 31''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=181579#p181579 builds] a complete 2c/3-wire-based [[pseudo-Heisenburp]] device with 742-tick repeat time.
* '''March 27-30''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=181171#p181171 completes] a 2c/3 receiver with a [[repeat time]] of 876 ticks, which [[Adam P. Goucher]] eventually improves to 742 ticks using [[staged recovery]] mechanisms; the previous record-setting receivers needed 964 or 970 ticks to recover.
* '''March 20''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180679#p180679 discovers] a period-26 [[bouncer]]-based reflector, the first independent reflector of this period, using components by [[Nora Brown]] and [[Dean Hickerson]].
* '''March 19''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180587#p180587 constructs] new p6 [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[greystretcher]]s in which the stripes are bounded by extended [[table]]s.
* '''March 18''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfmCyrfxkTM posts a YouTube video] about the discovery of the [[true]] [[period-15 glider gun]] and [[period-16 glider gun]], and the history leading up to those discoveries.
* '''March 17''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=180474#p180474 discovers] the first period-16 90-degree independent [[reflector]] based on a suggestion by [[Matthias Merzenich]], using the [[period-16 glider gun]] to hassle a honey farm predecessor and produce a [[banana spark]]. 90-degree reflectors are known for all periods except 14, 17, and 19 with periods 15, 23, and 26 having only [[dependent reflector]]s.
* '''March 16-17''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180367#p180367 completes] a new [[c/4 diagonal]] unstable [[puffer engine]] (only the third known puffer engine at this speed) based on a partial result by Matthias Merzenich. [[Caleb R. Hilton]] uses sparkers to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180370#p180370 stabilise] the unstable engine into explicit puffers. [[David Bell]] uses this engine to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180388#p180388 construct] the first p52 c/4 diagonal rake, and "b3s23love" and Merzenich use it to substantially [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180390#p180390 reduce] the size of the p108 c/4 diagonal rake.
* '''March 12''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180119#p180119 discovers] a population-236 solution to the [[unique father problem]] with a self-forcing patch containing 389 specified (both on and off) cells and fitting in a {{times|22|20}} bounding box, each of these statistics being the smallest known.
* '''March 12''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180102#p180102 completes] the first [[c/4 diagonal]] backward-to-sideways glider reflector using reactions by [[Keith Amling]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]]. Using one of Bell's glider-releasing reactions and a beehive-to-ship converter by Amling, Merzenich [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180103#p180103 constructs] the first c/4 diagonal p28 rake and demonstrates the existence of rakes at periods 32, 36, and 40.
* '''March 9''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179932#p179932 shows] that a previously known "double beehive push catalyst" found by Tanner Jacobi in December 2020 can serve as a [[2c/3 wire]] input conduit for either a single wire or two perpendicular wires, with a repeat time of only 100 ticks; [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179942#p179942 finds a way] to activate the catalyst with a single passing [[Herschel]] with repeat time 176, and [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179988#p179988 points out] a reset mechanism with a repeat time as low as 56 ticks (eventually reduced to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180709#p180709 42 ticks]).
* '''March 1''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179391#p179391 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-15 glider gun]] using a [[B-heptomino_hasslers#p15|B-heptomino hassler]] by [[Carson Cheng]] hours after finding the first p16 gun. Period-15 is now the smallest period for which a true-period gun is known.
* '''February 29''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179363#p179363 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-16 glider gun]] using [[Charity's p16]] and a [[B-heptomino_hasslers#p16|B-heptomino hassler]] by [[Nora Brown]]. Period-16 is now the smallest period for which a true-period gun is known.
* '''February 26''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179093#p179093 discovers] a period-6 c/2 [[greystretcher]] in which the stripes are bounded by [[coiled snake]]s.
* '''February 24''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178897#p178897 completes] a non-period-doubling stabilization of iNoMed's p19 partial, which also allows for a stabilization of the wick. The result is [[goban]], the second known period-19 oscillator. [[EvinZL]] notes that there are two variants with slightly different connection points.
* '''February 23''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178793#p178793 discovers] that a period-19 partial result by [[iNoMed]] can be completed with a period-doubling catalyst, giving a period-38 oscillator. [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178803#p178803 notices] that the p19 component can be extended to form a wick.
* '''February 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178796#p178796 discovers] two different [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher|stretchers]] for a pair of [[coiled snake]]s.
* '''February 18''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178449#p178449 notices] that a previously unrecognized pattern by [[Mitchell Riley]] from September 7, 2022 is actually a complete period-171 oscillator and is in fact the smallest known p171 oscillator.
* '''January 29-February 2''': [[Keith Amling]], with some help from [[Matthias Merzenich]], discovers new [[c/4 diagonal]] spaceships ([https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176777#p176777], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176789#p176789], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=177108#p177108]) capable of eating a variety of objects including ships, blocks, boats, beacons, beehives, barges, loaves, tubs, toads, and mangoes.
* '''January 26-28''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176602#p176602 completes] a 259-[[glider synthesis]] of [[77P6H1V1]], making it the first [[c/6 diagonal]] spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''January 22''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176315#p176315 discovers] the first [[true-period|true]] [[period-53 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[goldenratio]].
* '''January 20''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://cp4space.hatsya.com/2024/01/20/every-finite-phoenix-has-period-2/ proves] that every finite [[phoenix]] has period 2.
* '''January 14-15''': [[Keith Amling]] discovers [[c/4 diagonal]] eaters for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175711#p175711 blocks] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175747#p175747 blinkers] and uses the block eater to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175765#p175765 construct] the first period-40 c/4 diagonal ship. [[David Bell]] and [[May13]] use these to reduce the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175776#p175776 p72], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175738#p175738 p80], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175767#p175767 p116] [[rake]]s. [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175754#p175754 notices] that an incidental reaction in the blinker eater allows a known ship to eat a glider stream and can also be used to complete the first c/4 diagonal ships of periods 28, 32, and 36.
* '''January 10-13''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175654#p175654 proves] that no finite [[phoenix]] oscillators exist at periods 3 through 69.
* '''January 9-12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175284#p175284 discovers] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175495#p175495 reduces] the first period-9 [[c/3 orthogonal|c/3]] [[backrake]], the lowest possible period for a c/3 rake. [[May13]], [[Evin]], Merzenich, and Amling use this to construct the first c/3 rakes of periods [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175304#p175304 18], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175309#p175309 63], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175312#p175312 99], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175358#p175358 117], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175312#p175312 126].
* '''January 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175245#p175245 reduces] the known upper bound on the average [[agar]] [[density]] from 320/559 ≈ 0.572 to 1176/2087 ≈ 0.563. The highest average density is conjectured to be 1/2.
* '''January 5''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1074&p=174903#p174903 discovers] (using [[qfind]]) the first period-9 4c/9 orthogonal spaceship in a [[Life-like cellular automaton]] (B3567/S14578), fitting within a {{times|19|676}} bounding box in one phase.
* '''January 1''': [[Layz Boi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1074&p=174682#p174682 discovers] (using [[WLS]]) two new p2 lightspeed [[spaceship]]s in [[Life-like cellular automaton|Life-like rules]] containing both B2 and B3 but not B0 or B1, increasing the number of such rules in which spaceships are known to 10 (of the 8192 without S0 that have not been disproved).

==2023==
* '''December 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] uses [[QuFince]] to find a 15-glider synthesis for the last remaining 17-bit still life that had cost 16 gliders -- completing the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174201#p174201 "17-in-15" project].
* '''December 21-29''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173858#p173858 finds] a c/4 p80 puffer, which several days later is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174473#p174473 cleaned up] by [[David Bell]] (and independently by May13) to produce complete c/4 p80 [[rake]]s.
* '''December 20''': [[Luke Kiernan]] uses [[Barrister]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1849&p=173771#p173771 complete] a [[boojum reflector]] variant with a different output glider -- which also implies a new G-to-R based on the [[Herschel receiver]] and a stable 4hd [[lane]] [[shifter]] based on the [[glider stopper]].
* '''December 19-21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173671#p173671 discovers] a period-8 [[c/4 diagonal]] [[rake]]. Other users find various applications for this, including [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173853#p173853 a p72 rake] by [[praosylen]] with a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173858#p173858 reduction] by [[May13]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173906#p173906 filtered] to p144 by [[David Bell]].
* '''December 17''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173506#p173506 discovers] [[Snark64]], a new color-preserving 90-degree [[glider]] [[reflector]] with repeat time 64 -- useful for synchronization problems, since it has a different output [[parity]] from the [[Snark]].
* '''December 16-26''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173480#p173480 reduces] the known upper bound on the average [[agar]] [[density]] from 8/13 ≈ 0.615 to 17/28 ≈ 0.607. [[NooneAtAll3 ]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174190#p174190 reduces] this further to 320/559 ≈ 0.572.
* '''December 12''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173166#p173166 finds] a compact [[glider]] to [[wing]] to [[LWSS]] converter.
* '''December 10''': [[Keith Amling]] proves ([https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172934#p172934], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172938#p172938]) that there are no [[phoenix]] oscillators of periods 7, 9, or 11.
* '''December 10''': [[Alex Greason]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172853#p172853 discovers] a 5-glider [[synthesis]] for [[amphisbaena]], proving that all [[:Category:Strict_still_lifes_with_11_cells|11-cell still lifes]] can be synthesized with 5 or fewer gliders.
* '''December 8''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172734#p172734 discovers] a new type of [[c/5 diagonal]] [[wickstretcher]] for a period-2 wick.
* '''December 2''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172367#p172367 constructs] a (6,3)c/1024 [[knightship caterpillar]] with an almost completely new support mechanism, re-using only the [[over-unity]] glider production mechanism from the [[half-baked knightship]].
* '''November 29''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172182#p172182 discovers] a new longest-lasting known [[natural]] [[diehard]], a {{times|16|16}} [[soup]] lasting 1,413 generations before completely dying out, via [[apgsearch]].
* '''November 22''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171705#p171705 proves] that [[37P4H1V0]] is the unique smallest possible period-4 [[c/4 orthogonal]] spaceship in terms of its minimum population of 37 cells.
* '''November 18-December 2''': David Bell [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171415#p171415 extends] earlier work on [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170856#p170856 period-116 c/4 spaceships] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171051#p171051 c/4 rakes] by EvinZL and May13, respectively.
* '''November 16''': Several people extend a new [[beehive]] [[factory]] partial by [[Mitchell Riley]] to produce [[conduit]]s, usually with [[repeat time]] 90, that convert gliders to [[G-to-X_(November_2023)|other active objects]].
* '''November 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171254#p171254 proves] that [[30P5H2V0]] is the unique smallest possible period-5 [[2c/5 orthogonal]] spaceship in terms of its minimum population of 30 cells.
* '''November 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171092#p171092 discovers] [[44P49]], the smallest known period-49 oscillator, which quickly leads to a number of related [[SKOP]] records being broken.
* '''November 12-13''': [[Keith Amling]] completes a census of all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171012#p171012 period-3 ships up to 49 cells] and all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171031#p171031 period-2 ships up to 80 cells] which discovers 6 new c/3 ships and proves that [[64P2H1V0]] is the smallest possible period-2 ship.
* '''November 8-10''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170685#p170685 discovers] a high-clearance variant of a known p28 [[c/4 diagonal]] puffer and combines two such engines to form a p116 puffer. Two days later, [[praosylen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170835#p170835 modifies] the p116 puffer to form a [[dirty rake]] and [[Evin]] uses this dirty rake to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170856#p170856 construct] a clean p116 rake. The previous lowest known c/4 diagonal rake period was 4508.
* '''November 2''': affamatodidio [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170361#p170361 finds] and EvinZL reduces a [[Spartan]] 180-degree same-lane [[glider]] [[reflector]] with the same timing as [[Jubjub]].
* '''October 22''': iNoMed [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169611 finds] a new [[period-201 glider gun]] engine, the first engine of that period to be found and the smallest gun of that period by bounding box.
* '''October 20''': Nora Brown [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169492 finds] a new p41 engine, the [[p41 pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''October 12''': iNoMed combines an engine by Luke Kiernan and a sparker by Carson Cheng to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169035 create] the first p81 engine, a p81 [[Pi-heptomino hasslers#p81|pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''October 9''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168887#p168877 finds] a toggle-safe [[glider to block]] [[converter]].
* '''October 5''': [[Tim Coe]] adds [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168544#p168544 two more levels of tetration] to the lifespan of a 112×89 "diesuperhard", pushing the lower bound up beyond 13^^^3; the bounds are then moved beyond 17^^^3 on the same day due to improvements by [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Evin]], with a similar sized bounding box (116×86).
* '''October 5''': Based on a partial result by [[Mitchell Riley]], [[iNoMed]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1159398574103199794 completes] a p42 glider gun fitting in a 32×23 bounding box, making it currently the seventh smallest [[true-period]] glider gun.
* '''October 4''': [[Randall D. Beer]] [https://www.complex-systems.com/abstracts/v32_i01_a01/ proves] that no {{times|7|7}} [[Garden of Eden]] exists, and provides constraints on the population of {{times|8|8}} and {{times|9|9}} ones (which are not known to exist).
* '''September 15-28''': Collaborative progress on enormously long-lived [[diehard]]s continues on the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167981#p167981 "engineered diehards" thread], passing the threshold on September 28 of 11^^^3 = 11 ^^ (11 ^^ 11) ticks (where ^^ is the operator for tetration, i.e., iterated exponentiation).
* '''September 24''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167691#p167691 discovers] a period-76 shuttle for a pair of pi-heptominoes which, at 52 cells, is the smallest known oscillator of this period.
* '''September 23''': [[Evin]] discovers compact, stable glider [[pulse divider]]s with new period multipliers of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167612#p167612 5], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167615#p167615 11], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167642#p167642 12], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167615#p167615 4+6n]
* '''September 18''': [[Mitchell Riley]] discovers [[86P107]], the first engine-based period-107 oscillator, and the smallest known oscillator of that period.
* '''September 9''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166691#p166691 constructs] a new type of [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[agar ship]].
* '''September 6''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166490#p166490 completes] a period-6 [[c/3 orthogonal]] ship containing a simple [[wick]].
* '''September 4''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Unique_father_problem#Reduction constructs] a 278-cell unconstructible still life, smaller in population and bounding box than the previous minimum 306-cell version.
* '''September 1''': The 2022 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166268#p166268 concludes] with a tie for first place between the explicit 15-glider [[reverse caber-tosser]] and the unsynthesizable and limited-ancestor objects.
* '''August 31''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166120#p166120 constructs] the first c/3 [[Greyship#Types_of_greyships|against-the-grain greyship]] based on an idea by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''August 28''': [[Carson Cheng]], [[Mitchell Riley]], and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165969#p165969 collaborate] to find the smallest known p140 oscillator.
* '''August 27''': [[Mitchell Riley]], [[iNoMed]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165849#p165849 collaborate] to find the smallest known p126 oscillator. [[Nora Brown]] and [[iNoMed]] then use this oscillator to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165853#p165853 construct] a new record smallest p126 gun.
* '''August 26''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165834#p165834 discovers] the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] [[greystretcher]].
* '''August 11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164881#p164881 discovers] the first [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]]s and [[greystretcher]]s.
* '''August 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164825#p164825 discovers] a new type of c/4 orthogonal [[greystretcher]].
* '''August 1''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164406#p164406 completes] a [[R-pentomino hasslers#p93|p93 R-pentomino hassler]], the first engine-based period-93 oscillator, based on a partial result by [[Carson Cheng]].
* '''July 22''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=164021#p164021 completes] a [[period-41 glider gun]] using a design by [[Matthias Merzenich]] based on a partial result by [[May13]] and [[David Raucci]]. iNoMed subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164030#p164030 constructs] a much smaller p41 gun using an alternate design.
* '''July 21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163987#p163987 completes] a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[greyship]] with a record-breaking steep descent.
* '''July 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163972#p163972 discovers] a [[204P41|180° p41 dependent reflector loop]], the first {{period|41}} oscillator, proving that Life is [[omniperiodic]]. Brown also [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163993#p163993 finds] a related 90° p41 dependent reflector a few hours later. [[May13]] then [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164009#p164009 constructs] an independent [[bumper]]-based p41 reflector using the 180° dependent reflector.
* '''July 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163664#p163664 discovers] [[cribbage]], the first {{period|19}} oscillator, leaving period 41 as the only period for which no oscillator is known.
* '''July 13''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163639#p163639 discovers] and subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163643#p163643 reduces] the first engine-based {{period|59}} [[gun]] which is much smaller than the [[p59_dependent_reflector_loop#Other_uses_of_the_dependent_reflector|previous Herschel-based record]].
* '''July 6''': [[Darren Li]] [https://gitlab.com/ascendantdreamweaver/scourge releases] [[scourge]], an [[ikpx]]-like oscillator search program.
* '''June 29''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163131#p163131 discovers] the [[p71 dependent reflector loop]], the smallest known {{period|71}} [[oscillator]].
* '''June 29''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://github.com/nicobrownmath/LocalForce/tree/spaceship releases] a modification of [[LocalForce]] that can be used to search for [[dependent reflector]]s.
* '''June 16''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162720#p162720 discovers] fenceposts for a very thin period-8 wick that was first presented in [[Lifeline_Volume_3#Page_17|Lifeline Volume 3]] in 1971.
* '''June 11''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162576#p162576 disproves] the existence of 4-cell-high [[orphan]]s in Conway's Game of Life. 5-cell-high orphans had previously been discovered by [[Steven Eker]] in 2016.
* '''June 6''': The [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|(34,7)c/156 spaceship]] project, based on the [[(34,7)c/156 Herschel climber]], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162379#p162379 is completed] by [[Luka Okanishi]].
* '''June 2''': The [[Stable Storage Spaceship]] project [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162210#p162210 is completed] by [[Goldtiger997]], resulting in an [[engineered spaceship]] consisting of a [[glider]] colliding with a large [[still life]] [[constellation]].
* '''May 26''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161994#p161994 discovers] the [[Pi-heptomino_hasslers#p78|p78 pi-heptomino hassler]], the first engine-based {{period|78}} [[oscillator]].
* '''May 18''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=161675#p161675 discovers] [[mold on fire-spitting]], a previously unnoticed [[LCM oscillator]] which is the smallest known non-trivial {{period|12}} oscillator.
* '''May 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1107315680287653888 discovers] the [[p82 lumps of muck hassler]], the smallest known {{period|82}} [[oscillator]].
* '''May 11-16''': [[Andrew Trevorrow]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6015 makes available] two versions of a "HatLife" Glu script that can explore cellular automata running on tilings of the recently discovered aperiodic "hat" monotile.
* '''May 11''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161411#p161411 assembles] a very large [[stable]] [[constellation]] (22,620 ON cells) that acts as a one-[[MWSS]] [[spacefiller]] [[seed]].
* '''May 8-9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161321#p161321 discovers] simple wick-based c/5 [[greyship]] connections that allow the construction of new greyships and [[Wickstretcher#Greystretchers|stretchers]].
* '''April 23''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160785#p160785 completes] the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]] based on a partial result by [[Keith Amling]].
* '''April 21''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1099006580030185472 discovers] [[42P38]], the smallest known {{period|38}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160728#p160728 discovers] the [[p67 B-heptomino hassler]], the first engine-based {{period|67}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160719#p160719 discovers] the [[p68 century hassler]], the smallest known {{period|68}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 19''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160630#p160630 discovers] the [[p26 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known [[non-trivial]] {{period|26}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 18''': Forum user 'blah' [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160607#p160607 completes] a period-2^18 WireWorld metacell running in the Conway's Life rule.
* '''April 18''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160604#p160604 discovers] the first engine-based [[Period-49_glider_gun_(April_2023)|period-49 glider gun]] which is much smaller than previous [[Hotcrystal0_reaction#Generalized form|glider loop based guns]].
* '''April 10''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160290#p160290 discovers] a [[c/6 diagonal]] [[tubstretcher]], the first c/6 diagonal [[wickstretcher]] of any type.
* '''April 8''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160239#p160239 discovers] a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[barberpole]] [[wickstretcher|stretcher]].
* '''April 5''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160181#p160181 discovers] the first engine-based period-61 [[gun]] which is significantly smaller than previously known guns of this period.
* '''April 4''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160041#p160041 completes] a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[linestretcher]] with help from [[Matthias Merzenich]]. Merzenich [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160048#p160048 finds] an alternate solution to Amling's partial result soon after.
* '''April 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160180#p160180 discovers] a period-42 oscillator whose [[volatility#strict|strict volatility]] matches its ordinary [[volatility]]. This was the last composite period for which no such oscillator was known.
* '''April 1''': New smallest known oscillators of periods [[72P119|119]], [[51P384|128, 192, 256, and 384]] -- [[Table_of_oscillators_by_period|SKOPs]] -- are posted by [[Mitchell Riley]], and by [[iNoMed]], [[Adam P. Goucher]], and [[Carson Cheng]] based on the initial period-384 oscillator discovery.
* '''March 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159458#p159458 constructs] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159470#p159470 reduces] a new [[quartermax]] variant based on a partial result by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''March 21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159336#p159336 completes] a [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[agar ship]] for a high-density period-2 agar.
* '''March 19''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159240#p159240 assembles] a 1227-glider [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] based on a reduced final stage by [[Goldtiger997]]; optimizations are continuing, with a 1153-glider synthesis available on March 23.
* '''March 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159069#p159069 completes] a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[ants]] waveguide.
* '''March 13''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158923#p158923 completes] a 2373-glider [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]], reduced the same day to 2283 gliders (with more reductions likely).
* '''March 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158775#p158775 discovers] a [[c/4 diagonal]] [[barberpole]] [[wickstretcher]].
* '''March 9''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158774#p158774 discovers] a small elementary 0-degree colour preserving [[Stable reflector|stable glider reflector]] with repeat time 59.
* '''March 6''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158649#p158649 discovers] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158651#p158651 slightly reduces] a record-breaking small period-68 [[gun]] based on a new [[oscillator]] by [[Mitchell Riley]].
* '''March 4''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159163#p159163 discovers] a symmetric soup producing four copies of [[14P2.4]]. This means that all known still lifes, oscillators, and spaceships up to 15 cells have occurred at least [[semi-natural]]ly, although [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140882#p140882 some] have still not occurred [[natural]]ly.
* '''March 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158612#p158612 discovers] a record-breaking small period-52 [[gun]].
* '''February 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158264#p158264 finds] the activation step for a [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]].
* '''February 21-22''': The first occurrence of the 15-cell still life [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs15_321e88gzxca1/b3s23 xs15_321e88gzxca1] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158017#p158017 appears] in a random [[soup]] found by [[Charity Engine]]. Charity Engine also [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158077#p158077 finds] a second occurrence of this still life less than 24 hours later. This leaves the [[long|long<sup>9</sup>]] extension of [[snake]] as the only 15-cell still life not known to occur [[natural]]ly.
* '''February 17''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=157697#p157697 discovers] a [[c/4 diagonal]] [[linestretcher]] that can stretch lines with the closest possible spacing.
* '''February 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=157631#p157631 completes] a [[c/4 diagonal]] maximum-density multi-[[tubstretcher]] based on a [[wave]] by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''February 14''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=157535#p157535 discovers] a 6-glider [[synthesis]] of [[amphisbaena]], showing that every 11-cell [[still life]] can be synthesized with 6 or fewer gliders.
* '''February 13''': The [[Conwaylife Lounge]] Discord server reaches 1,000 members.
* '''February 2''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156856#p156856 discovers] an extensible [[wickstretcher]] and an [[agar ship]] based on the [[overweight spaceship]].
* '''February 1''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156771#p156771 completes], and Goldtiger997 later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156865#p156865 optimizes], a [[stable]] [[pseudo-Heisenburp]] device that detects a passing c/3 [[crotchet ship]] by removing its final [[anacrusis]] and then adding it back later.
* '''January 31''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156728#p156728 discovers] [[94P53]], the first known [[engine]]-based period-53 oscillator.
* '''January 24''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156408#p156408 discovers] a [[strictly volatile]] period-25 oscillator, [[Charity's p25]].
* '''January 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156338#p156338 discovers] a period-8 c/2 [[greystretcher]] component that uses blocks to stabilize the [[zebra stripes]].
* '''January 20''': [[Darren Li]] uses [[Open Science Grid]] and a modified [[ikpx2]] to find [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156206#p156206 a surprisingly small (2,1)c/6 tagalong], which can be attached to [[Sir Robin]], [[Sir Sprayer]], and various minstrels in a wide variety of ways, including a connection to itself.
* '''January 20''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156198#p156198 completes] a [[gliderless]] lightweight spaceship gun based on [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156185#p156185 a partial result] by [[iNoMed]] and [[Lucy D'Agostino]].
* '''January 17-19''': [[Carson Cheng]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156093#p156093 discover] small [[glider gun]]s for periods 70, 72, and 84.
* '''January 12''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155852#p155852 discovers] the [[walrus]], the first known elementary [[c/8 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''January 2-8''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155419#p155419 reduces] the minimum population record for a [[Max]] predecessor to 110 cells. Rocknlol subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=155703#p155703 reduces] this by finding a 107-cell Max predecessor, as well as a predecessor fitting in a record 21×19 bounding box.

==2022==
* '''December 29-31''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155354#p155354 finds] a 127-cell [[Max]] predecessor, the smallest such pattern known in terms of population. [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155419#p155419 improves this further] by finding a 112-cell Max predecessor, as well as a predecessor fitting in a record 21×21 bounding box.
* '''December 23-28''': [[Goldtiger997]] finds the key activation steps for another [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155161#p155161 66P5H2V0], and another [[c/4]] diagonal spaceship, [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1057593135489892382 37P4H1V1].
* '''December 13''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154825#p154825 constructs] a [[c/4 orthogonal]] "[[agar]] [[spaceship]]" escorting an adjustable-sized patch of period-4 "[[OWSS]] agar".
* '''December 12''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154792#p154792 discovers] the first known [[engine]]-based period-61 oscillator, a [[Pi-heptomino_hasslers#p61|p61 pi-heptomino hassler]]. This also becomes the smallest known p61 oscillator.
* '''December 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154748#p154748 discovers] a [[light speed]] fuse capable of extending a [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[wave]].
* '''December 9''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154625#p154625 finds] a [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] component for extending a [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]]. This gives the first known infinite series of synthesizable c/3 spaceships.
* '''December 5''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154464#p154464 discovers] [[taco]], the third known elementary [[c/7 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''December 2-3''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154361#p154361 publishes] a script for constructing a [[strictly volatile]] [[oscillator]] with any period greater than or equal to 945.
* '''November 25''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154110#p154110 finishes] a 99-[[glider]] [[synthesis]] of a previously unsynthesized spaceship, "[[brain]]", solving a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=22530#p22530 long-standing open problem].
* '''November 21''': [[gravity]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153956#p153956 discovers] another new [[Methuselah#Infinite_growth|puffer-based methuselah]] within {{times|20|20}}, this time lasting 126,932,978 generations.
* '''November 17''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153747#p153747 discovers] the first [[true]] period-34 [[glider gun]].
* '''November 15''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153564#p153564 completes] the 21-cell [[still life]] [[synthesis]] project. The project has spanned over a year and is the work of a large number of contributors.
* '''November 12''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153483#p153483 discovers] the [[p43 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|43}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 12-15''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153465#p153465 reduces] the cost of the [[reverse caber-tosser]] to 15 gliders, and produces a new [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153609#p153609 "RCT15" demo pattern] and associated viewer scripts.
* '''November 11''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153452#p153452 constructs] the [[Speed Orthogonal Loopship]], a new [[adjustable spaceship|adjustable]] [[loopship]] design.
* '''November 9''': A "[[semi-natural]]" [[Gosper glider gun]] [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/hashsoup/C4_4/o_hjWdgGhm7agu146534448/b3s23 appears] on Catagolue for the first time, in a [[symmetric]] [[soup]].
* '''November 8''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153274#p153274 finds] [[glider synthesis|syntheses]] for the last two 20-cell [[pseudo still life]]s.
* '''November 8''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153284#p153284 discovers] the [[diamondback]], which is tied with [[rattlesnake]] for the smallest known {{period|11}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 8''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153266#p153266 discovers] a dependent [[bouncer]]-based period-23 glider reflector using [[92P23|an oscillator]] by [[Mitchell Riley]]. This is the first p23 reflector of any type to be found.
* '''November 7''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153250#p153250 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-25 glider gun]].
* '''November 7-9''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153201#p153201 posts] an [[RCT]] demo pattern with all ash trails successfully cleaned up, and two days later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153348#p153348 completes] the remaining cleanup and construction tasks at the [[epicentre]] -- demonstrating in detail that any glider-constructible pattern can be constructed with exactly 16 gliders.
* '''November 4-6''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153058#p153058 discovers] the [[70P23|p23 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|23}} [[oscillator]] up to that point, and then [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153183#p153183 finds] yet another smaller p23 oscillator, [[55P23]], two days later.
* '''November 3''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153032#p153032 discovers] [[54P94]], the smallest known {{period|94}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 2''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153007#p153007 discovers] a small [[period-51 glider gun]], whose capped version is also the smallest known {{period|51}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 30''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152874#p152874 discovers] [[p73 lumps of muck hassler]], the smallest known {{period|73}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 24''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152606#p152606 discovers] a smaller period-32 [[glider gun]] using a new twin bees hassler.
* '''October 21''': [[Simon Ekström]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152460#p152460 discovers] [[NW-2T16]], a new [[Herschel-to-glider]] converter which [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152506#p152506 can also be used] to create the [[SKOP|smallest known oscillators of periods]] 89, 97, 101, and 103.
* '''October 20''': New user [[gravity]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152437#p152437 discovers] a [[List_of_long-lived_methuselahs#Puffer-based_methuselahs|puffer-based methuselah]] within a {{times|20|20}} [[bounding box]] lasting 13,629,876 generations.
* '''October 20''': Voting for the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5747 belated 2012 Pattern of the year competition] has been extended to the end of the year.
* '''October 8''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151938#p151938 discovers] [[34P20]], the smallest known non-[[LCM]]-based {{period|20}} [[oscillator]]. It is also the first known period-20 oscillator with [[volatility]] 1, although it is not [[strictly volatile]].
* '''October 3''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151727#p151727 discover] [[52P44]], the smallest non-[[LCM]]-based {{period|44}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 3''': [[cvojan]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151695#p151695 discover] a [[period-40 glider gun]] with a 27×20 [[bounding box]] - the fourth smallest of a glider gun with a unique period.
* '''October 3''': The [[Open Science Grid]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151700#p151700 discovers] [[76P86]], the smallest known {{period|86}} [[oscillator]], using [[apgsearch]].
* '''October 2''': Using parts of a new [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151696#p151668 extensible 8-engine Cordership], [[Brett Berger]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151675#p151675 completes] a pattern that produces a single glider stream with an irrational bit density, followed by another pattern that emits gliders in a line whose slope is the golden ratio.
* '''October 2''': [[cvojan]] and [[vivi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151670#p151670 discover] a [[period-24 glider gun]] with a 21×20 [[bounding box]], later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151697#p151697 reduced] to 20×20 by [[James Pascua]], making it the second smallest known glider gun with a unique period.
* '''October 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151681#p151681 discovers] a small [[p28 block puffer]] using [[apgsearch]].
* '''October 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151646#p151646 finds] a [[92P23|third period-23 oscillator engine]], a beehive-and-honeyfarm hassler.
* '''October 1''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151619#p151619 discovers] [[115P106]], the smallest known {{period|106}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 1''': [[Luke Kiernan]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151605#p151605 discover] the [[p68 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|68}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 27''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151430#p151430 discovers] the [[p79 pi-heptomino hassler]], both the smallest known {{period|79}} [[oscillator]] and the first of that period not based on adjustable-period mechanisms.
* '''September 23''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151303#p151303 finds] [[70P26|a new SKOP26]] ([[SKOP|Smallest Known Oscillator of Period]] 26), using an unusual [[catalyst]] [[constellation]] made up of an [[elevener]] plus a common [[ship]]+[[fishhook]] combination.
* '''September 22''': googleplex [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151285#p151285 completes] a previously unfinished [[c/4 orthogonal]] moving [[wick]] from the '''jslife-moving''' collection, adding a front end to a back end found by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''September 22''': A new period-86 [[R-pentomino]] [[hassle|hassling]] oscillator and [[Herschel]] [[factory]] is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151276#p151276 discovered] by Nora Brown, adjusted by iNoMed, and made strict-[[volatility]] by Nora Brown with several variants with different relative phases.
* '''September 14''': The [[Open Science Grid]] finds simpler [[glider syntheses]] for multiple [[oscillator]]s, specifically [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151006#p151006 5 gliders] for the [[caterer]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151012#p151012 6 gliders each] for [[bi-pentadecathlon 1]] and [[boat tie bipole]].
* '''September 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151003#p151003 discovers] [[108P59]], the smallest known {{period|59}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 12''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150930#p150930 discovers] the [[p94 R-pentomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|94}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150882#p150882 discovers] the first true [[period-43 glider gun]] and, as a corollary, the first non-[[Snark]]-based {{period|43}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 1''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150469#p150469 discovers] the [[p71 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known {{period|71}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 26''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150241#p150241 discovers] the [[p85 R-pentomino hassler]], which in its minimum form is the smallest known {{period|85}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 21''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149933#p149933 completes] the [[p129 R-pentomino hassler]] based on a partial result by [[Luke Kiernan]]. With only 38 cells, it is the smallest known {{period|129}} oscillator.
* '''August 16''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149645#p149645 discovers] new [[pi-heptomino hassler]]s of periods 35, 40, 58, and 160, while [[Carson Cheng]] finds a new [[honey farm hassler]] of period 24.
* '''August 16''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149677#p149677 completes] an "octo3g" orientation-agnostic hash library for the existing database of 3-glider collisions, allowing active 3G collision patterns to be searched in the same way as the previous octo3obj and octohash databases, with (probably) no false positives.
* '''August 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149466#p149466 discovers] [[p11 thumb]], a small {{period|11}} [[oscillator]] and the first with an asymmetric [[rotor]] to appear in an official [[Catagolue]] symmetry.
* '''August 9''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149347#p149347 discovers] a [[p45 pi-heptomino hassler]] with only 29 cells, making it the smallest known {{period|45}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 9''': The [[Open Science Grid]] begins contributing CPU and GPU resources to [[Catagolue]].
* '''August 8''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149315#p149315 discovers] [[R-pentomino]] [[hassler]]s of periods [[p49 R-pentomino hassler|49]] and [[p91 R-pentomino hassler|91]]. The former is the smallest known {{period|49}} [[oscillator]] by population, while the latter [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149322#p149322 can be turned] into the smallest known period-91 [[glider gun]].
* '''August 4''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149120#p149120 discovers] a [[p220 honey farm hassler]].
* '''August 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149077#p149077 discovers] [[34P7]], a small {{period|7}} [[sparker]] with similar functionality to the previously-discovered [[meatball]].
* '''July 30 - August 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148949#p148949 discovers] a [[semi-natural]] [[methuselah]] lasting 128,719 generations, the longest lifespan known for an [[apgsearch]] [[soup]] excluding those which continue to grow infinitely after "going boring". Three days later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149071#p149071 a second one] is discovered lasting 132,364 generations.
* '''July 29''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148834#p148834 discovers] the smallest known period-92 oscillator, a 44-cell [[LCM oscillator]] consisting of a [[mold]] interacting with a previously-overlooked spark from a [[twin bees shuttle]] variant.
* '''July 25''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148702#p148702 discovers] a new stabilization of the [[p44 pi-heptomino hassler]] using only [[block]]s and [[eater 2]]s, while [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148703#p148703 finds] a period-sextupling mechanism that works with all versions of the oscillator.
* '''July 25''': [[Simon Ekström]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148650#p148650 discovers] a small, stable 180-degree glider [[reflector]].
* '''July 25''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148649#p148649 discovers] the [[p82 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|82}} [[oscillator]].
* '''July 24''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148590#p148590 discovers]  the [[speed tunnel]], a [[Spartan|non-Spartan]] [[Glider-to-Herschel converter|glider-to-Herschel conduit]] with a repeat time of 61 ticks, which makes it the fastest G-to-H conduit discovered to date.
* '''July 23''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148557#p148557 discovers] a new {{period|22}} [[century]] [[hassle]]r.
* '''July 15''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/997664404323709048 reveals himself] as the author of numerous randomly-generated [[glider syntheses]] covertly submitted to [[Catagolue]] over the last few months, most notably a 4-glider [[bipole]] and a 5-glider [[octagon II]].
* '''July 15''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148274#p148274 discovers] an 8-glider [[synthesis]] for [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_dbgzw1qm/b3s23 xs14_dbgzw1qm], which means that all strict 14-cell [[still life]]s can be synthesized with 9 or fewer gliders.
* '''July 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148244#p148244 discovers] a new glider-releasing H-to-R [[conduit]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses it to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148237#p148237 reduce] the size of the smallest known [[true]] period 59, 61, 67, and 77 [[gun]]s.
* '''July 11-14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148173#p148173 discover] [[43P54]], the smallest known period-54 oscillator. [[David Raucci]] and [[hotcrystal0]] then use this oscillator to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148236#p148236 reduce] the size of the smallest known period-54 [[gun]].
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147980#p147980 discover] a [[200P199|period-199 oscillator]] whose reduced form also functions as a [[pipsquirter]].
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147972#p147972 discover] a [[p146 pi-heptomino hassler]], which is later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147977#p147977 monomerized] by [[Evin]] and [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/994432762603905074 reduced] to have a minimum population of only 52 cells.
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147943#p147943 discovers] the first [[non-trivial]] period-34 oscillator, [[74P34]]. Using a resulting p34 beehive hassler by "MAP bot", [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147953#p147953 completes] a p34 [[bumper]] reflector.
* '''July 6''': Based on a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147886#p147886 partial result] by [[Hartmut Holzwart]], [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147929#p147929 completes] a width-12 [[chicken wire]] [[greyship]] with a slope-0 back end, filling in the final gap in the collection of slope-0 chicken wire back ends.
* '''July 5''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147909#p147909 discovers] a new period-83 oscillator, [[62P83]], and [[iNoMed]] uses two copies to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147908#p147908 construct] a small period-83 [[glider gun]].
* '''July 2-3''': [[yaochen2]] and [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147829#p147829 discover] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147834#p147834 various] [[switch engine]]-based [[methuselah]]s within a 16×16 bounding box, including one lasting 4,764,364 generations.
* '''July 2''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147819#p147819 discovers] [[74P127]], the highest prime-period oscillator not based on adjustable-period loops.
* '''June 30''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147745#p147745 discovers] [[Charity's p16]], a relatively small period-16 oscillator.
* '''June 29''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147675#p147675 discovers] a [[glider synthesis]] for [[29P3H1V0]], meaning that all known [[spaceship]]s with up to 31 cells have a known synthesis.
* '''June 26''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147576#p147576 discovers] the [[p58 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known period-58 oscillator. Dani uses this to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147579#p147579 construct] a [[gliderless]] p58 lightweight spaceship gun.
* '''June 24''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147511#p147511 discovers] [[58P37]], the smallest known period-37 oscillator and the first one that can be used to create a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147512#p147512 period-37 glider gun].
* '''June 20''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147341#p147341 reduces] the [[p4-assisted period-28 glider gun]], making it the fifth-smallest glider gun with a distinct period and leading to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147342#p147342 additional reductions] to the [[period-14 glider gun|pseudo-p14 glider gun]].
* '''June 14''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147102#p147102 discovers] a [[p10 domino fountain|strong period-10 domino sparker]].
* '''June 6''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146680#p146680 completes] a c/2 wire width 2 [[chicken wire]] [[grayship]] using a dense wave front by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''June 2''': [[Keith Amling]], [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[Hartmut Holzwart]] collaborate to complete a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146504#p146504 new greyship front edge], allowing for rectangular and trapezoidal [[greyship]]s that mix different widths of [[chicken wire]] with a minimum width of 13.
* '''May 28''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146196#p146196 discovers] [[meatball]], a small {{period|7}} [[spark]]-producing [[oscillator]] which can be used in place of [[38P7.2]] in certain [[glider gun]] constructions.
* '''May 27''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146111#p146111 completes another stage] of a 16G [[RCT]] implementation, moving the project gradually away from "<i>we know vaguely how it would work</i>" toward "<i>we know exactly how it works</i>".
* '''May 25-June 2''': [[Charity Engine]]'s continuing focus on non-C1 [[symmetry]] produces [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145987#p145987 several] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146482#p146482 more] new p9 and p6 oscillators.
* '''May 18''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145728#p145728 discovers] [[30P25]], the smallest known {{period|25}} [[oscillator]] by population.
* '''May 10''': [[mvr]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145411#p145411 discovers] a [[p84 honey farm hassler]] with only 42 cells, the smallest known period-84 oscillator by population.
* '''May 10''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145414#p145414 modification] of the CatForce search program by [[mvr]] allows for a significant speedup -- and also includes a symmetric search option that has very quickly started finding interesting new circuitry, such as a new [[Spartan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145440#p145440 version of a known pi-to-2G converter].
* '''May 10''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145359#p145359 posts] reductions to two different oscillators: the p12 [[crown]], and the [[p44 pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''May 2''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144986#p144986 constructs] [[quartermax]], a [[quadratic-growth]] pattern that fills one quarter of the plane (instead of a half or full plane, as in [[halfmax]] and [[max]].)
* '''May 2''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144982#p144982 discovers] a new period-46 [[glider gun]] that does not rely on previously known [[:Category:Oscillators with period 46|p46 oscillators]] or on [[adjustable glider loop]]s.
* '''April 28''': [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144828#p144828 discovers] a record-breaking smallest p12 [[backrake]] using "WSS_Test", the modified [[apgsearch]] program that also found [[35P12H6V0]] (the record-breaking smallest p12 spaceship from February).
* '''April 27''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144795#p144795 find] a "self-forcing" finite patch of period-2 [[agar]], and Oscar Cunningham stabilizes the patch to produce the first oscillator with a provably unsynthesizable [[rotor]].
* '''April 25''': [[Andrew Wade]] uses his life slice spaceship search program ([[LSSS]]) to find a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144727#p144727 new 151-cell 2c/7 spaceship], and May13 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144728#p144728 produces] a number of variations based on it and known 2c/7 components.
* '''April 21''': [[dani]], [[Oscar Cunningham]], [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144536#p144536 collaborate] to reduce the number of gliders needed for any glider construction (via an [[RCT]] synthesis) from 17 to 16.
* '''April 20''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3552&start=400#p144490 finds] a new [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/gun_114/b3s23 period-114 glider gun] engine using two [[pi-heptomino]]es and four period-6 [[sparker]]s.
* '''April 16''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144315#p144315 posts] an example pattern demonstrating the [[reverse caber-tosser]] mechanism by constructing a [[shillelagh]], along with a massive amount of debris, in approximately 5.23×10<sup>615</sup> generations.
* '''April 15''': [[Goldtiger997]] makes available a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144242#p144242 Python script] that can assemble a [[Speed Orthogonoid]] for any rational orthogonal velocity below c/2 (with the usual practical limitations due to system resources).
* '''April 12''': [[iNoMed]] and [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144139#p144139 assemble] a new-record smallest [[period-36 glider gun]] using just one engine (the previous record-holder used two).
* '''April 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144121#p144121 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] via [[apgsearch]] exhibiting [[infinite growth]] whose center takes 225,593,194 generations to stabilize, [[Methuselah#Infinite growth|a new record]].
* '''April 11-14''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144077#p144077 completes] a [[diehard]] with a size similar to previous efforts, that takes '''much''' longer to die out completely -- initially on the rough order of <sup>8</sup>121 ticks, the eighth [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetration tetration] of 121, and improved past <sup>12</sup>121 ticks in the next few days.
* '''April 7-10''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144045#p144045 constructs] a [[diehard]] fitting within a 10,000-cell bounding box while having an exponentially long lifespan using a [[sawtooth]] design. With optimizations by [[toroidalet]], [[Dean Hickerson]], and others, this pattern lasts for ~1.33616×10<sup>1443</sup> generations before disappearing.
* '''April 6''': [[Goldtiger997]]'s [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143872#p143872 wins] the [[Pattern of the Year]] competition for 2021.
* '''April 4''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143798#p143798 finds] a [[20-cell quadratic growth]] pattern, the current record holder for the smallest [[breeder]] in terms of population.
* '''April 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143703#p143703 discovers] a pair of [[44P5H2V0]]s via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|5}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly. [[iNoMed]] and [[Goldtiger997]] use this soup to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143704#p143704 reduce] the 44P5H2V0 [[glider synthesis]].
* '''April 1-8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143667#p143667 completes] two [[Speed Orthogonoid]] spaceships, which can be adjusted to travel arbitrarily close to the orthogonal speed limit of c/2, similar to the [[Speed Demonoid]]'s adjustability for diagonal speeds arbitrarily close to c/4.
* '''March 31''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5616 forum thread] dedicated to [[diehard]]s, including engineered ones, is created, leading to the publication of constructions by [[Dean Hickerson]] and [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] fitting within small bounding boxes but lasting for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143574#p143574 tens of thousands] (and even [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143605#p143605 hundreds of thousands]) of generations before disappearing completely.
* '''March 28''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143452#p143452 discovers] a c/2 orthogonal [[wickstretcher|stretcher]] for a stable wick.
* '''March 27''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143450#p143450 finds] a 6-[[glider]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] of a [[breeder]], breaking the previous record of [[Switch engine ping pong|7 gliders]].
* '''March 23-27''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143277#p143277 finds] a 23×15 predecessor to a [[breeder]], beating out [[Luka Okanishi]]'s recent 26×18 pattern for the title of the smallest quadratic growth predecessor by [[bounding box]]. A few days later, this predecessor is further reduced to 23×13.
* '''March 22-23''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143253#p143253 posts] a series of binary slow salvo recipes for the 17-glider [[reverse caber tosser]] that greatly simplify the problem of producing a complete proof-of-concept of RCT construction... not that it's all done yet!
* '''March 17''': New forum user 'Game of Life Fun' [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143050#p143050 assembles] the first [[gliderless]] [[Gosper glider gun]] [[puffer]].
* '''March 12-15''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142708#p142708 finds] a small [[c/12 diagonal]] [[breeder]] using a custom [[apgsearch]] symmetry, with a 26×18 predecessor [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142715#p142715 found] by [[Luka Okanishi]] and [[22-cell quadratic growth|a 22-cell predecessor]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142738#p142738 found] by [[David Raucci]] breaking the records for the smallest [[bounding box]] and [[population]], respectively, of a pattern exhibiting [[quadratic growth]]. Three days later, [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142905#p142905 finds] a [[21-cell quadratic growth|21-cell solution]] with a different breeder.
* '''March 11''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142667#p142667 announces] the official launch of the textbook ''[[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]]''.
* '''March 8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142538#p142538 posts] an SSGRL ([[self-synthesizing glide-reflecting loopship]]) with a design similar to last year's [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]].
* '''March 4''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142429#p142429 discovers] a pair of [[dart]]s via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|3}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''March 4''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142407#p142407 discovers] [[30P3]], a custom-built {{period|3}} [[sparker]] which can be used to construct a record-breaking 51-cell p48 oscillator when combined with [[Rob's p16]].
* '''March 1''': [[iNoMed]] and [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142297#p142297 discover] the first p30 gun that does not use the [[queen bee shuttle]].
* '''February 24''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142084#p142084 discovers] [[58P8H4V0]] via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|8}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''February 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142060#p142060 discovers] [[232P7H3V0]], the smallest known [[3c/7 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''February 21''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141951#p141951 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] which takes [[Die hard|2,474 generations to die out completely]], beating the previous "messless [[methuselah]]" record by over 400 ticks.
* '''February 16''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141729#p141729 discovers] the [[p23 honey farm hassler]], a smaller {{period|23}} [[oscillator]].
* '''February 15''': dani [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141656#p141656 discovers] a new [[period-30 glider gun]] that uses only a single [[queen bee shuttle]] based on a symmetric 4-[[barrel]]ed gun [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141655#p141655 discovered] by [[Charity Engine]].
* '''February 14''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141620#p141620 discovers] [[p4-assisted period-28 glider gun|a smaller p28 glider gun]], with a [[bounding box]] of only 37×24, which [[iNoMed]] uses to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141628#p141628 construct] a smaller [[period-14 glider gun|pseudo-p14 glider gun]].
* '''February 13''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141608#p141608 discovers] a smaller {{period|62}} [[glider gun]] based on a glider-releasing [[wick]].
* '''February 12''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141568#p141568 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] containing a [[bi-gun]], making it the second unique [[gun]] to have occurred [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''February 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141492#p141492 discovers] [[32P21]], the smallest known {{period|21}} [[oscillator]].
* '''February 10''': On Discord, "mystical" [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/941302038409674752 uses a modification of apgsearch] to find a period-12 spaceship, [[35P12H6V0]], with a minimum population four cells less than that of the [[Schick engine]], which had been the smallest known period-12 spaceship for about half a century.
* '''January 29''': [[David Raucci]] makes the [https://www.conwaylife.com/w/index.php?title=RLE:Period27glidergun&oldid=100000 100,000th edit] to LifeWiki.
* '''January 29''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140915#p140915 completes] a [[true]]-period [[period-27 glider gun]] based on a reaction found by [[goldenratio]].
* '''January 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140777#p140777 finds] a synthesis of another [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [[70P5H2V0]], based on a final step [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140650#p140650 completed on January 23rd].
* '''January 17''': [[goldenratio]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140411#p140411 discover] the [[p39 pi-heptomino hassler]], the first {{period|39}} [[oscillator]] not based on an [[LCM]] or glider loop mechanism.
* '''January 13''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140258#p140258 solve] the [[unique father problem]] in the positive, providing a 32×26 [[still life]] that cannot be constructed from scratch by any means.
* '''January 12''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140183#p140183 discovers] [[44P38]], the first {{period|38}} [[oscillator]].
* '''January 11''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140089#p140089 constructs] the first [[pseudo-period]] 16 and 17 [[LWSS]] and [[MWSS]] [[gun]]s. Period 16 is the minimum possible period for a MWSS gun.
* '''January 10''': [[James Pascua]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140094#p140094 reduces] the [[period-48 glider gun]] to a bounding box of 31×16 - beating [[Three quarters traffic light catalyst|period 46]] for the title of second-smallest known [[glider gun]]. As a corollary, the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140108#p140108 smallest known] period-96 [[oscillator]] now consists of a p48 gun with a [[boat-bit]].
* '''January 10''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140063#p140063 completes] a 74-glider synthesis of [[Orion 2]], making it the fifth [[c/4 diagonal]] spaceship (not including the glider!) with a known synthesis.
* '''January 6''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139854#p139854 solve] a generalized version of the [[grandfather problem]], proving that for every natural number n, there exists a pattern that has an n-tick predecessor but not an (n+1)-tick predecessor.
* '''January 4''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139761#p139761 further reduces] the [[p32 honey farm hassler]] to only 45 cells.
* '''January 3''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139701#p139701 discovers] a smaller [[p143 Bandersnatch loop]], using only relatively small [[still life]]s, and later [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139714#p139714 constructs] a 58-glider [[synthesis]] of it.

==2021==
* '''December 31''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] finds (and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139666#p139666 posts a few days later]) a 6x3 [[still-life]]-compatible region that can be extended into an infinite [[agar]] that has no predecessors other than itself.
* '''December 21''': [[goldenratio]], [[iNoMed]], and [[praosylen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139175#p139175 construct] a smaller [[period-48 glider gun]], with a bounding box of 35×16, the third-smallest of any known unique-period gun.
* '''December 19''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139044#p139044 completes] a small period-126 glider gun using a [[pi]]-[[hassle|hassling]] mechanism, based on contributions by [[David Raucci]], [[iNoMed]], and [[cvojan]].
* '''December 17''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138965#p138965 completes] a blueprint laid out by googleplex, to produce a [[QuickSilver Demonoid|QuickSilver self-constructing spaceship]] made with entirely 1990s-era technology such as [[Silver's reflector]]s (but definitely 21st-century design techniques).
* '''December 14–21''': [[cvojan]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138895#p138895 discovers] the [[traffic stop|three quarters traffic light catalyst]], resulting in [[hassler]]s of periods 36, 48, and 60. Later, cvojan [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139008#p139008 constructs] a smaller [[p76 pi-heptomino hassler]], with only 57 cells, using this hassling reaction as a [[catalyst]], while [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139147#p139147 constructs] a smaller [[period-46 glider gun]] with a [[bounding box]] of 37×15, the second-smallest of any known gun.
* '''December 11''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138670#p138670 assembles] a [[bouncer]] with repeat time 22 and period 11, a previously unknown period for bouncers (though it was known for [[bumper]]s).
* '''December 10''': [[FractalFusion]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138634#p138634 constructs] [[statorless]] [[oscillator]]s for all periods that are multiples of 33.
* '''November 29''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138191#p138191 completes] "DOGun SaGaQR", a "shapeshifting" pattern that can be adjusted to become a [[diehard]], high-period [[Volatility#Oscillators_with_volatility_1|volatility 1 oscillator]], 4-[[barrel]]led glider [[gun]], c/24 [[spaceship]], single [[glider]], or [[quadratic growth]] [[replicator]].
* '''November 28''': [[Luka Okanishi]] and [[Tanner Jacobi]] construct the first [[true-period]] [[glider gun]]s of periods [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138155#p138155 51] and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138157#p138157 49] respectively using [[hotcrystal0_reaction|a base reaction]] by [[wwei23]] and [[hotcrystal0]].
* '''November 23–24''': [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138057#p138057 complete] a period-20 partial found by [[David Raucci]] to construct a record-breaking [[period-20 glider gun]].
* '''November 20''': [[Dongook Lee]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137874#p137874 finds] [[62P7]], a new period-7 [[domino]] [[sparker]] that's more accessible than [[132P7]], stronger than [[hebdarole]], and '''much''' smaller than [[754P7]] (which itself can be reduced to 678 cells with this same discovery).
* '''November 18''': [[Dongook Lee]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137807#p137807 discovers] the first [[strictly volatile p4]] oscillator.
* '''November 17''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137788#p137788 discovers] several new [[Max]] predecessors using [[LogicLifeSearch]] including, among others, one with only 151 cells and another with a [[bounding box]] of only 25×21, making them the smallest known [[spacefiller]]s by these metrics.
* '''November 17''': [[May13]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137751#p137751 constructs] the first clean c/6 orthogonal [[rake]] using 8 copies of a dirty p1212 puffer, and [[iNoMed]] quickly [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137752#p137752 reduces] this to 4 copies.
* '''November 13''': Using the new [[weekender]] recipe, [[Goldtiger997]] and [[Dave Greene]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137616#p137616 complete] a glider-to-weekender converter less than a quarter of the size of the previous mechanism, with an option to produce [[doo-dah]] spaceships instead.
* '''November 13''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137600#p137600 assembles] a working [[elementary]] Herschel merge circuit.
* '''November 13''': With population optimization help from [[Entity Valkyrie]], [[Dongook Lee]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137595#p137595 finds] [[180P8]], a very high-[[clearance]] [[domino]] sparker that is a significant reduction to the previously known [[230P8]].
* '''November 10''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137484#p137484 announces] yet another size reduction for the [[period-144 glider gun]] using a [[transparent]]-[[blinker]] [[component]].
* '''October 22''': [[MathAndCode]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136897#p136897 discovers] a [[phase shift]] reaction for [[50P9]] with period 9n-1.
* '''October 21''': Various users [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136864#p136864 discover] new [[p3 pipsquirter]]s which can be used to support the [[carnival shuttle]].
* '''October 13''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136580#p136580 completes] a Python script capable of assembling the Nth [[Canada Grey]] [[greyship]] for N>2, at a cost of 84N<sup>2</sup> + 371.5N + 204 - 43.5*MOD(N,2) [[glider]]s.
* '''October 12''': [[83bismuth38]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136555#p136555 discovers] [[66P62]], the smallest known {{period|62}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 11''': [[Nicolas Loizeau]] ('Coban' on the forums) posts a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136626#p136536 new scalable programmable 8-bit computer] (and accompanying video).
* '''September 23''': The textbook ''[[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]]'' by [[Nathaniel Johnston]] and [[Dave Greene]] is opened up to beta readers, available as a PDF at https://conwaylife.com/book/. Feedback can be submitted in [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5418 this thread].
* '''September 19''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135872#p135872 finds] new record-breaking small 'pure nonfillers', one with 209 ON cells and one with a 33-by-27 bounding box.
* '''September 17''': [[Dongook Lee]] and others, in a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/888333616952770560 Discord discussion], improve the [[period-55 glider gun]] with new customized p5 sparkers, making it the second-smallest odd-period gun after the [[period-21 glider gun]] by minimum population, and the outright smallest by bounding box.
* '''September 16''': [[David Raucci]] completes a new and significantly smaller [[true]] period [[period-54 glider gun]], with improvements based on a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/888137152616083506 Discord collaboration].
* '''September 14''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135748#p135748 discovers] a smaller [[true-period]]-32 [[glider gun]] based on a new engine.
* '''September 9''': [[David Raucci]] and [[Aidan F. Pierce]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135635#p135635 discover] the [[p32 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known {{period|32}} [[oscillator]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses the underlying reaction to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135636#p135636 construct] the first [[true-period]]-32 [[glider gun]].
* '''August 29-September 6''': iNoMed and others, in a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/881531301772029973 Discord discussion], radically improve the glider synthesis of the [[weekender]] from 56 gliders down to only 33, and reducing the [[repeat time]] from 444 [[tick]]s to 347 for a related 35-glider version (for 33G it's 427 ticks, and for 34G it's 447 ticks), making it one of the few known [[spaceship]]s besides the [[*WSS]]es that cost less than one glider per bit to synthesize.
* '''August 24''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135235#p135235 constructs] a period-18 reflector capable of reflecting a period-18 glider stream based on an oscillator by [[David Raucci]].
* '''August 24''': [[Catagolue]] is updated to allow larger tabulations in the form of linked fragments, [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/420789213466853387/879876922014851152 enabling] among other things storage of all xs21s (still lifes consisting of 21 bits).
* '''August 23''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135199#p135199 constructs] a new period-45 glider [[gun]] based on a partial result by David Raucci.
* '''August 21''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135135#p135135 re-uses SMOS technology] to build a [[RRO|reflectorless rotating oscillator]] with loopability 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6; with minor adjustments it can reach loopability 7, 10, or 11 (but not 8, 9, or 12 or higher).
* '''August 2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=134389#p134389 constructs] the first explicit example of a [[SMOS|spaceship made of spaceships]] in Conway's Game of Life.
* '''August 1''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://discordapp.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/871483361435209748 constructs] the first [[true]]-period [[Period-21_glider_gun|period-21 gun]] using a new period-21 oscillator by [[David Raucci]].
* '''July 30''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=134269#p134269 constructs] a [[T-nosed p7]] using a reaction from 2016.
* '''July 25''': [[Goldtiger997]] published the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=134059#p134059 detailed recipes] needed to synthesize an infinite family of increasingly larger greyships.
* '''July 12''': [[James Pascua]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133473#p133473 discover] [[90P51]], a two-cell reduction to the smallest known non-trivial p51 oscillator.
* '''July 9''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133286#p133286 discovers] an 83-cell variant of the [[p25 pre-pulsar shuttle]], making it the smallest known period-25 [[oscillator]].
* '''July 6''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133141#p133141 discovers] a new glider gun engine with [[period-117 glider gun|period 117]].
* '''July 1''': [[Martin Grant]] and Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=132872#p132872 complete] the synthesis of the [[greyship]] from June 20th in 753 gliders.
* '''June 20''': Goldtiger997 [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=132334#p132334 completes] the final step of a [[greyship]] [[glider synthesis]].
* '''June 18''': Adam P. Goucher [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/85543598338631273434 adds] to [[Catagolue]] the ability to recognize glider guns with up to four-digit periods, which can now be submitted to the collection via the nonmagical box at the bottom of the "Syntheses" page.
* '''May 17''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130340#p130340 constructs] a new [[period-20 glider gun]] based on a period-20 oscillator by [[wwei23]] and [[David Raucci]].
* '''May 14-21''': Frank Everdij discovers [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130230#p130230 two] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130622#p130622 new] elementary [[c/6 diagonal]] spaceships using [[ikpx2]].
* '''May 9''': Adam P. Goucher [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129942#p129942 constructs] period-12 knightpuffer and knightrake technology using variants of the new [[sprayer]] [[knightship]]; this is quickly followed by other puffer and rake periods such as a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129945#p129945 p48 mechanism] by cvojan.
* '''May 9''': After a three-month, 16-thread [[ikpx2]] search, Adam P. Goucher [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129937#p129937 finds] a completion for a second [[elementary]] [[knightship]] front end found by [[Dylan Chen]], which is known as the [[sprayer]] due to a huge accessible side spark at the front.
* '''April 13 - June 30''': [[David Raucci]] discovers many previously unseen oscillators, glider gun mechanisms, etc., including [[Raucci's p74]], using a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130212#p130212 new search script] that finds spark support for hassling common active objects in various symmetries.
* ''' April 11''': David Raucci [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128061#p128061 finds] a new [[p76 pi-heptomino hassler]] oscillator, which is quickly [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128083#p128083 reduced to a monomer form] by JP21, A for awesome, and [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* ''' April 10-14''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128012#p128012 completes] a 152-glider synthesis of a third c/4 orthogonal spaceship, [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_y2oo7t0t7ooz2qgx8t2rgr2t8xgq2z122166y5661221/b3s23 61P4H1V0.1]; within four days this was reduced to an [http://catagolue.appspot.com/object?apgcode=xq4_y2oo7t0t7ooz2qgx8t2rgr2t8xgq2z122166y5661221&rule=b3s23 89-glider synthesis].
* ''' March 19''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=126154#p126154 discovers] a new [[weekender]] tagalong.
* ''' March 18''': Results for the 2020 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition include a tie for first place between the [[Bandersnatch]] and the [[Speed Demonoid]].
* ''' March 17''': A small synthesis efficiency improvement project, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=125927#p125927 12-in-7] (12-bit still lifes constructed with 7 gliders or less) is completed, with 13 expensive syntheses reduced to below the target cost in less than a week.
* ''' March 17''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5066 Pattern of the Year voting], on a record-breaking thirty-nine entries for 2020, will close on March 17th.
* '''March 12''': The 20-bit [[still life]] [[glider synthesis]] [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/xs20 project] is [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=125259#p125259 completed].
* '''March 7-8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=124810#p124810 completes] a 215-glider recipe for [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_2534uof1u0u1fou4352zy087084048078zx3igi3x3igi3/b3s23 72P4H1V0], the second c/4 orthogonal spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''February 10-11''': [[Chris Rowett]] uses [[ikpx2]] to discover several new moving objects, including a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=122299#p122299 p120 2c/5 puffer] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=122454#p122454 c/5 diagonal tubstretcher, tagalong, and spaceship].
* '''February 4-11''': [[Tanner Jacobi]], EvinZL, [[Louis-François Handfield]] and [[Sphenocorona]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121723#p121723 find] new Herschel-to-glider [[converter]]s and variants of existing H-to-Gs: NW26T157b, NE30T17_NE1T22, NW10T137, SW-18T136 and a [[Spartan]] SE16T36b.
* '''January 11-March 8''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121698#p121698 completes] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121889#p121889 several] new [[chicken wire]] [[greyship]]s with different widths of chicken wire, with specific examples constructed for widths 2 through 12 among others.
* '''January 25''': [[Catagolue]]'s [[B3/S23]]/[[C1]] census [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/C1-2021-01-25 reaches] a total of one quadrillion objects.
* '''January 24''': [[goldenratio]] and [[bubblegum]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=120269#p120269 construct] a [[glider synthesis]] for [[edge-repair spaceship 1]].
* '''January 17''': [[wwei23]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119411#p119411 discovers] [[1320P7]], a large but high-clearance {{period|7}} [[sparker]] [[oscillator]].
* '''January 16''': [[Dylan Chen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119406#p119406 discovers] [[52513M]], the new longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] within a 16×16 [[bounding box]], just a week after the discovery of 50093M.
* '''January 16''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=119342#p119342 completes] a [[2c/5 orthogonal|2c/5]] [[waveguide]] for an oblique line of [[ants]] based on a partial result by [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* '''January 10''': [[Alex Greason]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118703#p118703 makes available] a fresh set of transfer.py results. Fewer than 535 20-bit still lifes have no known glider synthesis, and 135 of these have soups available on [[Catagolue]] to assist with synthesis.
* '''January 10''': [[Dylan Chen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118727#p118727 discovers] another new [[3c/7]] spaceship, using [[Andrew J. Wade]]'s December update to [[LSSS]]. This is the first small 3c/7 spaceship with [[gutter symmetry]].
* '''January 9''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118690#p118690 discovers] [[50093M]], the longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] within a 16×16 [[bounding box]], using [[apgsearch]].
* '''January 5''': [[Bullet51]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118256#p118256 uses ikpx2 to find] a third [[elementary]] [[c/6 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''January 5''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118240#p118240 discovers] a new variant of a known [[H-to-G]] [[conduit]], NE16T14, with likely applications as a [[reflector]] and merge circuit in [[single-channel]] self-constructing circuitry.
* '''January 5''': [[Sphenocorona]] and [[Luka Okanishi]] assemble a new elementary conduit, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118100#p118100 HF96P], which allows for the creation of several new Herschel-to-glider [[converter]]s.
* '''January 2-3''': bubblegum [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=117681#p117681 discovers] a new 3c/7 orthogonal [[Puffer#Puffer_engine|puffer engine]], allowing [[Matthias Merzenich]] and iNoMed to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=117798#p117798 construct] the first clean 3c/7 [[rake]].

==2020==
* '''December 28-31''': [[Dylan Chen]] discovers [[Anura]] ([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=117159#p117159]) and [[Soba]] ([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=117548#p117548]), the two smallest known [[3c/7 orthogonal]] spaceships, as stabilizations of the same frontend, and also a much smaller front end for the [[spaghetti monster]] on January 4.([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=118021#p118021])
* '''December 28''': ''The New York Times'' [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/science/math-conway-game-of-life.html publishes an article] reflecting on 50 years of Conway's Game of Life.
* '''December 20''': A [[Bellman]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=116491#p116491 search] by [[Tanner Jacobi]] turns up a new [[stable]] [[catalyst]] that can reset a [[beehive]] that has been pushed over by one cell by a collision.
* '''December 17''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] discovers [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/789169624842371122 a p61 pattern] that moves one cell per cycle, and can be supported by single-bit sparks, glider streams, or additional copies of the pattern on each side.
* '''December 15''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=115869#p115869 constructs] the first [[Gun#True-period_guns|true]] [[period-28 glider gun]].
* '''December 6''': John Winston Garth [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114481#p114481 discovers] [[doo-dah]], a new small period-21 [[tagalong]] for the [[weekender]], which can be used to create various [[2c/7 orthogonal]] [[puffer]]s and [[rake]]s.
* '''December 5''': [[User_talk:MathAndCode|MathAndCode]] and [[User:yujh|yujh]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114356#p114356 discover] 'NW26T157', a new [[Spartan]] conduit that converts a Herschel into three gliders, similar to [[NW31]] but with one glider on an output [[lane]] of a different [[color]].
* '''December 3-4''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114036#p114036 finds] a final step for a [[turtle]] [[synthesis]], followed by a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114209#p114209 complete 241-glider synthesis] the next day.
* '''November 24''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=112239#p112239 completes] a [[barge crosser]], a mechanism which allows a glider signal to cross an arbitrarily long barge without causing permanent damage.
* '''November 18''': [[Goldtiger997]] finds [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=111260#p111260 glider recipes] that can convert M2 [[minstrel]]s into M3 minstrels and vice versa.
* '''November 15''': [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=110875#p110875 discovers] a new [[sparker]], a period-9 version of a [[heavyweight emulator]].
* '''October 30''': [[Golly]] 4.0 is [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=108478#p108478 officially released].
* '''October 16''': [[Andrew Trevorrow]] makes available the first beta builds for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=106785#p106785 Golly 4.0], supporting Python 3.x and new rule types and neighborhoods, and enabling multi-color "Super" and "History" support for a wide range of two-state rules.
* '''September 27''': A [[burloaferimeter]] variant [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=105040#p105040 appears] in an asymmetric [[soup]] found by [[Rob Liston]], making it the first natural {{period|7}} oscillator.
* '''September 26''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104930#p104930 completes] [[Speed Demonoid]] version 2, removing the 2c/9 limitation; a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=105167#p105167 Golly script] can now build a spaceship with any rational diagonal speed below c/4 (subject to some practical size limitations).
* '''September 19''': [[MathAndCode]] and [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104484#p104484 construct] a 17-glider [[reverse caber-tosser]], proving that all [[synthesizable]] patterns can be made with no more than 17 gliders and that all synthesizable [[still life]]s can be constructed with no more than one glider per [[bit]].
* '''September 19''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104453#p104453 synthesizes] [[55P9H3V0]], the first period-9 spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''September 18''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104423#p104423 constructs] a complete [[Speed Demonoid]], using double [[crabstretcher]]s to accelerate a [[self-constructing]] [[spaceship]] to 3492022/17833792=1746011/8916896 ≈ 0.1958c, very close to c/5. The new spaceship can be adjusted to match any rational speed slower than 2c/9.
* '''September 15''': [[wwei23]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104102#p104102 discovers] several new 3-engine Corderships, including one that cleans up its trailing blocks with sideways gliders, similar to a 5-, 6-, or [[7-in-a-row Cordership]].
* '''September 9-17''': [[wwei23]] assembles a new type of period-192 [[4-in-a-row Cordership]], and later constructs [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104307#p104307 glider-to-Cordership] and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104367#p104367 Cordership-to-glider] [[converter]]s for it.
* '''August 29''': [[User:Goldtiger997|Goldtiger997]] completes a [[synthesis]] of the first known [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [[44P5H2V0]], almost thirty years after its discovery; this is the third completed synthesis for a 2c/5 spaceship.
* '''August 23''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] adds to [[slmake]] a fast elbow push recipe created by [[Pavel Grankovskiy]], based on a [[c/4]] diagonal [[crab]] [[wickstretcher]]. This means that [[recipe]]s for self-constructing structures with a not-quite-attainable limit speed of c/4 can now be semi-automatically compiled.
* '''August 16''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102367#p102367 discovers] a 14-glider recipe for a [[crab]] spaceship, down from the previous cost of 16, which can be used to reduce the size and construction cost of a wickstretcher [[seed]].
* '''August 14''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102387#p102387 finds] via [[apgsearch]] a third natural [[loafer]] emerging from asymmetric [[soup]].
* '''August 10''': Syntheses of a variety of [[pufferfish spaceship]]s make their way to [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/xq36 Catagolue], thanks to an extension of the time required in online recipe submissions for all gliders to react.
* '''August 2-18''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=101555#p101555 completes] and later [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102465#p102465 improves] a [[1G seed]] for a c/4 diagonal [[wickstretcher]], enabling [[self-constructing]] spaceships with the fastest possible diagonal speed of (just below) [[c/4]].
* '''July 29''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=101323#p101323 constructs] a fast diagonal [[Demonoid]] puffer with velocity (4825784,4825784)c/45679544.
* '''July 21''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=100871#p100871 reduces] the cost of the [[reverse caber-tosser]] constructor to 32 gliders.
* '''July 20''': [[A for awesome]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100822#p100822 completes] a new stable [[L122]] Herschel conduit, based on a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100724#p100724 P2 periodic variant] by [[User:Entity Valkyrie 2|Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''July 18''': A [[glider synthesis]] of [[70P2H1V0.1]] is [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq2_jimmgozmgmkqa323ms8zq2qamkgggqe4ziiqq26101z1/b3s23 posted to Catagolue] by [[Martin Grant]], making 70P2H1V0.1 the first period-2 spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''July 7''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100181#p100181 completes] a record-breaking [[seed]] [[constellation]] that, when triggered by a single gliders, turn into a clean 100-glider recipe for a c/5 spaceship, [[58P5H1V1]]. This potentially improves the unreachable upper bound on Demonoid speed from c/12 to c/5.
* '''July 1''': A [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99834#p99834 collaborative effort] results in a series of HWSS Heisenburp circuits much smaller than the previous best known devices. Recovery time is under 1400 ticks. Some versions can also detect [[flotilla]]s with an HWSS along one edge.
* '''June 20-30''': Several new signal converter circuits are constructed, including [[Luka Okanishi]]'s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99516#p99516 242-tick 30P5H2V0-to-G] and [[Goldtiger997]]'s 290-tick [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99516#p99196 HWSS-to-G]. Many others are catalogued [[User:Goldtiger997/Spaceship_Stable_Circuitry|here]].
* '''June 6-30''': [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99834#p99834 JP21's] and then [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99833&#p99833 Jeremy Tan's] eater collections spark new interest, and eaters are found for several previously inedible spaceships such as [[dragon]], [[Canada goose]], and [[brain]].
* '''June 8''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=98622#p98622 collaborative effort] produces a fully universal *WSS-to-glider [[converter]] that recovers in only 588 ticks, and works even if moved by an odd number of cells along the input [[lane]].
* '''June 7''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=98586#p98586 completes] an adjustable-width [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]] using components by [[Keith Amling]] and [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''June 5''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] completes a mechanism suggested by [[Martin Grant]] to make a [[Bandersnatch]], a [[glider-constructible]] [[color-changing]] glider shifter with a recovery time of only 70 ticks.
* '''May 25''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] and [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=97701#p97701 find] improved [[highway robber]]s with better [[clearance]] and 876- and 873-tick [[recovery time]]s.
* '''May 22''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=97489#p97489 constructs] a [[gun]] for [[58P5H1V1]], the first gun to produce a [[c/5 diagonal]] spaceship.
* '''May 9''': The [[silverfish]], a self-supporting 31c/240 [[caterpillar]]-type spaceship designed using the [[slow salvo]] recipe from the [[Centipede]] but a simpler front end, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96462#p96462 is completed].
* '''May 6''': [[Goldtiger997]] solves the problem of glider-constructing all [[Still_life#Pseudo_still_lifes|pseudo still life]]s consisting of [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96210#p96210 4×N chunks] of blocks [[agar]].
* '''May 3-4''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] adapts [[Martin Grant]]'s new [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=95988#p95988 HL161H conduit] to make a new compact [[color-changing]] [[edge shooter]], [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96093#p96093 HSW47T214].
* '''Apr. 21''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=95336#p95336 discovers] [[49768M]], the longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] fitting within a 16×16 [[bounding box]].
* '''Apr. 11''': [[John Horton Conway]], the inventor of [[Conway's Game of Life]], dies in Princeton, NJ at the age of 82.
* '''Apr. 8''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93647#p93647 constructs] a much faster and more compact [[universal regulator]].
* '''Apr. 3''': [[Goldtiger997]], [[Tanner Jacobi]], and others [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93167#p93167 complete] the [[glider synthesis]] for [[58P5H1V1]], the first synthesis for a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''Apr. 1''': A [[loafer]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93011#p93011 appears] for the first time in an [[asymmetric]] [[soup]], submitted to [[Catagolue]] by [[John Goodman]]. Coincidentally, this occurred exactly two years after [[Dave Greene]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=58727#p58727 posted] a fake soup for April Fools' Day 2018.
* '''Mar. 25''': [[Martin Grant]] and others [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=92323#p92323 complete] the [[glider synthesis]] for [[56P6H1V0]], the first synthesis for a [[c/6 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]] and the first for a {{periodS|6}} [[spaceship]].
* '''Mar. 22''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] uses [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search] to find [[186P7H2V0]], a third [[2c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship, part of an infinite family based on a known 2c/7 [[wave]].
* '''Mar. 22''': [[Goldtiger997]] completes the activation stage for a recipe for [[56P6H1V0]], which along with the [[spider]] and [[weekender]] is now one of the largest [[elementary]] spaceships for which a [[glider synthesis]] can (presumably) be completed.
* '''Mar. 17''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=91518#p91518 discovers] [[409P6H1V0]], the narrowest known [[c/6 orthogonal]] spaceship, using [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search].
* '''Mar. 9''': [[Richard K. Guy]], discoverer of the [[glider]], [https://aperiodical.com/2020/03/richard-k-guy-1916-2020/ passes away] at the age of 103.
* '''Feb. 9''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=89261#p89261 discovers] a new p16 oscillator, [[Rob's p16]], using [[apgsearch]]. It is the smallest known p16 by both [[population]] and [[bounding box]], the first p16 to appear from an asymmetric [[soup]], the first [[strictly volatile]] p16, and the first new [[rotor]] to be discovered by asymmetric soup search since the 1980s.
* '''Feb. 8''': All 19-bit [[still life]]s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=89061#p89061 are confirmed] to have valid [[glider syntheses]].
* '''Jan. 26''': [[Dave Greene]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4279 creates] LifeSuper, an extended version of [[LifeHistory]] for advanced pattern annotation.
* '''Jan. 26''': Entity Valkyrie [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=88186#p88186 constructs] a period-11040 [[spider]] [[gun]], the first gun to fire a [[c/5 orthogonal]] spaceship.
* '''Jan. 13''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] sets up a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4260 new "manually distributed" search] (table [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/User:Sokwe/C/8-width-19 here]), to find out whether a symmetric c/8 spaceship exists at width 19.
* '''Jan. 9''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] completes a long-running enumeration of [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=87225#p87225 34-bit still lifes], finding 35,422,864,104 strict still lifes with 34 bits, and 41,058,173,683 pseudo still lifes with the same bit count, including 26 [[triple pseudo still life]]s.
* '''Jan. 5''': A Rules namespace update on the LifeWiki allows [[LifeViewer]] to display in-browser many patterns using rule tables and trees, which previously couldn't be simulated without copying them into Golly.

==2019==
* '''Dec. 30''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] uses his search program, [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search], to find the second elementary 2c/7 spaceship, [[scholar]].
* '''Dec. 29''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=86668#p86668 synthesises] a variant of [[David Hilbert]].
* '''Dec. 28''': [[Martin Grant]] finds a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=86644#p86644 counterexample] to a 22-year old conjecture by [[Dean Hickerson]] about still-life finitization.
* '''Dec. 25''': Pavgran assembles [[Slavic]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=86540#p86540], a quadratic-growth pattern similar to [[Hydra]] that doesn't need a central gun.
* '''Dec. 9''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=86121#p86121 reduces] the cost of the [[spider]] synthesis by over 100 gliders.
* '''Dec. 1''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85900#p85900 discovers] a new period-49 oscillator based on a partial result by [[Jason Summers]].
* '''Nov. 24''': Luka Okanishi [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85719#p85719 discovers] a [[David Hilbert|period-23 oscillator]], leaving [[Omniperiodic|only four periods]] for which no non-trivial oscillator is known.
* '''Nov. 20''': [[Dongook Lee]] finds a [[p7 pipsquirter]] that is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85532#p85532 significantly smaller] than the old [[p7 pipsquirter]], leading to bounding-box reductions in the gun collection and various oscillators.
* '''Nov. 18''': [[Tanner Jacobi]], Goldtiger997 and others find improved recipes for a number of difficult-to-synthesize still lifes, reducing the maximum cost for 16-bit still lifes to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85457#p85457 14 gliders].
* '''Nov. 17''': Michael Simkin uses [[pi calculator]] and [[Osqrtlogt]] technology to build a Life pattern that prints the song [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85414#p85414 "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall"].
* '''Nov. 12''': Bullet51 and Aidan F. Pierce discover [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85245#p85245 new] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85246#p85246 sparky] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85249#p85249 period-13 oscillators].
* '''Nov. 4''': [[Alex Greason]], [[Arie Paap]], BlinkerSpawn, and [[Dongook Lee]] collaborate on the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84877#p84877 discovery of phoenix agar oscillators] on different-sized tori, which can [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84994#p84994 reproduce the behavior of XOR oscillators] in other rules (see [https://oeis.org/A160657 OEIS A160657]).
* '''Oct. 28''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=84593#p84593 finds] a 64-glider [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for the [[27P4H1V1]] spaceship (later reduced to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=85966#p85966 31 gliders]).
* '''Oct. 22''': Goldtiger997 [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84423#p84423 constructs] a p612 [[gun]] for the [[46P4H1V0]] spaceship.
* '''Oct. 9''': All 18-bit [[still life]]s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=83979#p83979 are confirmed] to have valid [[glider syntheses]].
* '''Sep. 9''': The 17-in-17 Project [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=82560#p82560 is completed], showing that every 17-bit [[still life]] can be [[glider synthesis|constructed]] using at most 16 [[glider]]s.
* '''Aug. 15''': Update to a previous news item from 21 April 2019 (see archive): all 15-bit [[still life]]s can [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=81277#p81277 now be constructed] with at most 12 [[glider]]s.
* '''July 16''': [[Dave Greene]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=79686#p79686 constructs] a [[large prime oscillator]] with a period equal to the largest Mersenne prime currently known, 2<sup>82589933</sup>-1.
* '''June 19''': A [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=78036&#p78036 huge long-term collaborative effort] is completed, showing that all glider-constructible [[still life]]s can (at least in theory) be constructed using less than two [[glider]]s per [[bit]].
* '''June 2''': Goldtiger997 completes a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=77029#p77029 glider-to-25P3H1V0.2 converter], based on [[Martin Grant]]'s [[25P3H1V0.2]] synthesis from 2017.
* '''May 29''': Thomas Cabaret makes available a [https://cp4space.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/self-replicator-caught-on-video/ Passe-Science video] featuring [[self-constructing]] CA patterns, including several minutes showing details of the [[0E0P metacell]].
* '''May 25''': Goldtiger997 completes a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76686#p76686 glider-to-crab converter], with the help of a script implementing a universal glider synchronization [[toolkit]].
* '''May 24-30''': christoph.r posts several [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76645#p76645 unusual breeder designs] based on c/10 technology, including [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76901#p76901 some variants] on a [[pufferfish]] [[breeder]].
* '''May 9''': GilGil makes available a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76571#p76571 huge but elegant 60-line printer] traveling at c/10, based on fleets of [[fireship]]s.
* '''Apr. 21''': [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75278#p75278 Improvements to glider syntheses] mean that every 15-bit still life has a recipe with at most 13 gliders. For current maximum costs, see the table in [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Glider_synthesis#Still_life_syntheses Still-life syntheses].
* '''Apr. 17''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] set several new bounding-box records with a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75185#p75185 new glider gun mechanism] based on filtered MWSSes.
* '''Apr. 14''': [[Michael Simkin]] completes a [[self-constructing]] puffer pattern which he calls [[Remini]] ("retro Gemini"), using a single-channel design with nothing but 1970s circuit mechanisms.
* '''Apr. 10''': [[Jeremy Tan]] releases a new glider recipe database, [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74753#p74753 Shinjuku], specifically for tracking lowest-cost syntheses.
* '''Apr. 6-7''': [[LifeViewer]] standardizes support for [[triangular neighbourhood]]s starting with Build 320.
* '''Apr. 5''': An exhaustive computer search run by [[Nathaniel Johnston]] reveals that there are 14,223,867,298 strict and 15,851,861,075 pseudo [[:Category:Still lifes with 33 cells|33-bit]] [[still life]]s, including eleven pseudo still lifes that can be partitioned into [[Triple pseudo still life|three stable pieces but not two]], and none that can be partitioned into [[Quad pseudo still life|four stable pieces but not two or three]].[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74524#p74524]
* '''Mar. 27''': The last remaining [[:Category:Strict still lifes with 14 cells|14-bit]] [[still life]], [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_4ai3zwo9a4/b3s23 xs14_4ai3zwo9a4], appears in a [[symmetry|C1]] [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]], in a haul submitted by an anonymous user.[http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74007#p74007]
* '''Mar. 24''': [[apgsearch]] v5.03 gains the ability to log 'megasized' [[soup]]s with final [[population]]s exceeding 3,000.[https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/apgmera/commit/2133cb40147cbb7b70f1a5fb4709f8f3b2feb6f7] [[Apgsearch#Version_5.x|apgsearch 5.x]] can also pre-process asymmetric C1 B3/S23 soups on GPUs with CUDA support.[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=73557#p73557]
* '''Mar. 7''': A [[spider]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] using 574 [[glider]]s and 9 [[LWSS]]es is found by [[Martin Grant]]. [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=72705#p72705]
* '''Mar. 3''': A [[figure eight on pentadecathlon|period-120 oscillator]], the highest period thus far, occurs from a natural [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]].
* '''Mar. 2''': Several symmetric-soup [[diehard]]s with [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/messless_15h/b3s23 lifespans over 1500 ticks] are found by 'carybe', using [[apgsearch]].
* '''Feb. 12''': A [[lightweight Schick engine]] appears from a natural (C1) [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]].
* '''Feb. 9''': A [[47575M|47,575-tick 16x16 methuselah]] found by Adam Goucher via [[apgsearch]] yields a 16-cell, 47,487-tick methuselah. This discovery skips over several empty 1000-tick bins in [[Catagolue]] above the previous record 16x16 methuselah, [[Homer]].
* '''Feb. 4''': A glider detection and removal upgrade in [[apgsearch]] version 4.91 gives a search speed boost of well over 50% compared to version 4.88.
* '''Feb. 4''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] and [[Martin Grant]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=69591#p69591 find a recipe], subsequently reduced to 88 gliders, for the first-ever synthesizable [[c/4]] spaceship, [[46P4H1V0]].
* '''Jan. 21 - Feb. 1''': Additional (2,1)c/6 [[minstrel]]s and spaceship connections are found, bringing the number of combinations of elementary minstrels into double digits.
* '''Jan. 25''': the ''[[Pattern of the Year#2018|Pattern of the Year 2018]]'' competition concludes, with [[Sir Robin]] taking first place.
* '''Jan. 25''': [[LifeViewer]] [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68595#p68595 build 282] goes live on the LifeWiki and forums, with several enhancements including new labeling functionality.
* '''Jan. 20''': [[Catagolue]] collects a record-setting longest-lived asymmetrical 16x16 [[diehard]], with a lifespan of 1058 ticks.
* '''Jan. 17''': A new period-8 domino sparker, [[230P8]], is [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68099p68099 discovered by Arie Paap] and [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68104#p68104 reduced by 'Bullet51'].
* '''Jan 16-18''': Four new [[minstrel]]s are found, plus a lucky connection of an existing minstrel to [[knightwave]], creating for the first time a [[grammar]] that allows for an infinite number of distinct [[elementary]] [[knightship]]s.
* '''Jan 10''': A new period-24 oscillator, [[dueling banjos]], turns up in an [[apgsearch]] soup search. Uses so far include a smaller [[period-24 glider gun]], with associated improvements to p16 and p48 glider guns and a p48 LWSS gun.
* '''Jan 3-7''': Record-setting [[diehard]]s are found by [[Rob Liston]] and [[Apple Bottom]] via [[apgsearch]].

==2018==
* '''Dec 7''': A new oblique [[camelship]], much smaller and lower population than the [[Spaceship#Adjustable_spaceships|Gemini 3 variant]] from 2010, is completed by Chris Cain.
* '''Dec 2''': The value of V, the lowest number for which an oscillator can be constructed with strict [[volatility]] 1 for that or any higher period, is reduced to [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=66138#p66138 3,506,909 ticks].
* '''Nov 30''': Adam P. Goucher sets another new record using the latest apgsearch by finding "Homer", a [[42883M|16x16 methuselah with a lifespan of 42883 ticks]].
* '''Nov 28''': An update to [[slsparse]] allows it to recognize [[45-degree MWSS-to-G]] converters in any orientation, and use unidirectional [[slow salvo]] recipes to construct them.
* '''Nov 18''': Entity Valkyrie discovers a new period-13 [[FNG]] suppression mechanism, allowing the [[true]] [[period-52 glider gun]] to be reduced to less than a seventh of its previous size.
* '''Nov 12''': A working [[0E0P metacell]] is announced by [[Adam P. Goucher]], along with [https://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2018/11/new-tools-for-self-construction.html several improvements] to [[slmake]], the program used to compile the metacell.
* '''Oct 31''': An update to [[apgsearch]] sets another new record by finding a [[42100M|16x16 methuselah]] with a lifespan of 42,100 ticks.
* '''Oct 31''': A self-constructing "loopship", a new type of spaceship with a non-[[Geminoid]] design, is completed by [[Dave Greene]].
* '''Oct 30''': A [[periodic]] (p5 or p4) [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=65290#p65198 quinti-Snark] is constructed by Tanner Jacobi, with the usual implications for reductions to the glider gun collection.
* '''Oct 29''': [[apgluxe]] v4.56-[[lifelib|ll]]2.0.5 and [[Catagolue]] add support for [[BSFKL]] rules.
* '''Oct 28''': A record-setting 39,693-tick methuselah, [[Wilma]], is discovered by [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=65124#p65124 Rob Liston] using a custom FPGA [[soup]] searcher.
* '''Oct 27''': An [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=65112#p65111 new LWSS synthesis] by [[Chris Cain]] allows for [[LWSS]], [[MWSS]], and [[HWSS]] guns with [[pseudo]] [[period]]s as low as 18. 18 is the minimum for HWSS streams.)
* '''Oct 21''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] completes a [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64968#p64968 two-dimensionally extensible wick-supporting pushalong] with a minimum width of over a thousand cells.
* '''Oct 21''': New [[Orthogonoid]]s with periods 2<sup>27</sup> and 2<sup>28</sup> are [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64949#p64949 constructed] by [[Dave Greene]], followed by a 2<sup>25</sup> version by [[Adam P. Goucher]].
* '''Oct 12''': A new [[:Category:Oscillators with period 14|period-14]] [[oscillator]], [[34P14.1]], is found by 'carybe'.
* '''Oct 11''': Christoph R. [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64623#p64623 discovers] a [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64627#p64627 new Fireship tagalong].
* '''Oct 10''': [[Dave Greene]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64590#p64590 completes the construction] of two new [[HashLife]]-friendly [[Demonoid]]s.
* '''Oct 07''': [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64619#p64489 A complex 140-glider synthesis] of a c/2 signal traveling along a diagonal long<sup>N</sup> barge [[wire]] is completed by Martin Grant.
* '''Oct 03''': A [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64315#p64315 p4 [[bouncer]] reflector] is constructed by Arie Paap. With the p9 reflector, this completes the set of [[colour-changing]] and [[colour-preserving]] reflectors with periods from 4 to 9.
* '''Oct 02''': A p9 reflector is discovered [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1452&start=1750#p64309 by Matthias Merzenich and "carybe"] based on Noam Elkies' [[bouncer]] reaction. This is the first reflector capable of reflecting a p27 glider stream.
* '''Oct 02''': A [[true]] p33 gun is discovered [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3552&p=64281#p64266 by Arie Paap and Matthias Merzenich].
* '''Sep 27''': A [[true]] [[p52 gun]] is [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64084#p64084 completed by a collaborative effort].
* '''Sep 9''': [[Dave Greene]] completes the construction of a stable [[line crosser]] with a [[repeat time]] of 501 ticks.
* '''Jul 15/19''': The [[Minstrel]]s, a group of [[tagalong]]s for [[Sir Robin]], are discovered.
* '''Jun 14''': The [https://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-meaning-of-life-is-42-but-cost-of.html construction] of a [[reverse caber-tosser]] shows that any [[glider synthesis|glider-constructible]] object can be constructed with at most 35 [[glider]]s.
* '''Apr 04''': A [[p3 bumper|p3 reflector]] is discovered by Arie Paap based on Tanner Jacobi's [[bumper]] reaction. This is the first reflector capable of reflecting a p39 glider stream.
* '''Mar 06''': [[Sir Robin]], the first [[elementary]] [[knightship]] in [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]], is discovered by [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Tomas Rokicki|Tom Rokicki]].
* '''Feb 19''': The [[2-engine Cordership]] wins the 2017 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition, with [[Tanner's p46]] taking second place.

==2009==
{{LifeWiki:News/600 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/500 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/400 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/300 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/200 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/LifeWiki goes live}}

==Also see==
* [[LifeWiki:Did you know archive]]

LifeWiki:Sandbox

2026-07-15T21:19:31Z

Dvgrn: fix the "edit this page" link

Welcome to the '''sandbox'''! This is a place where you can edit freely without having to worry about messing anything up. It contains lots of examples of wiki code that you can test and modify to see what happens.

== Using the Sandbox ==
Feel free to [https://conwaylife.com/w/index.php?title=LifeWiki:Sandbox&action=edit edit this page] any way you want: modify anything written here, add content, delete content, etc. Experiment however you would like. All that we ask is:
* Use the "Show Preview" option as much as possible. Using preview (instead of save) allows you to compare side by side what's in the edit box with the page's actual appearance. Preview also prevents all of your experiments from appearing in [[Special:Recentchanges|recent changes]].
* Do not add any copyrighted or offensive material here.
* Remember that any changes you make will be temporary. Other editors regularly clean up the sandbox, so it's ready for the next person who wants to use it.

== Other Sandboxes ==
* If you want to create your own personal sandbox that won't be quickly reverted in order to test something, you can create a page at <nowiki>[[User:<yourname>/Sandbox]]</nowiki>. You can even create more than one of these by adding a number or something like that to the end. Keep in mind that even though this may be in your User spac, the same rules apply there as to the rest of the site regarding the posting of copyrighted or offensive material. And again, please use "Show Preview" whenever possible to avoid flooding the Recent Changes with your test edits.

== Basic Editing ==
The wiki uses a simplified type of markup language that's easier to use and less rigid than standard HTML. A sentence
can be split
between
as many
lines as you would like. As long as there no blank lines in between, everything will be combined into one paragraph on the displayed page.

This is an example of a standard list, showing different types of basic text formatting:
* standard text
* ''italicized'' text
* '''bold text'''
* some '''''bold and italicized'' text'''
** an indented item in the list
** and another
*** keep adding asterisks to indent further
* back to regular indents

You can also create automatically numbered lists:
# The first entry
# The second entry
#* You can mix different types of lists
# The third entry

See the [[Help:Quick editing guide|quick editing guide]] for more examples. Also check out the buttons at the top of the edit window: clicking the buttons adds various types of text to the edit window. And below the edit window there's a list of symbols and Wiki markup codes: clicking on any of them will insert that text into the edit window.

=== Talk Pages ===
On talk pages, indents are used to tell who said what. So this would be the initial comment or question.
: Indented text like this would be a response.
:: And this would be another person's response. Also, comments on talk pages are signed: after you've finished typing what you want to say, click on the signature box above the edit window to automatically insert your signature. What it inserts looks like this: <nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki>, but the tildes are automatically changed into your signature when you save the page (and check what it looks like in the preview window, too!).

===== Sub-Sub-Section =====
Notice how this section's title uses four = signs instead of three (like the Talk Pages section) or two. You could even use five = signs. If you change any of the section titles, the table of contents at the top of the page will automatically update.

== Links ==
These are some examples of links to other pages in the LifeWiki:
* [[Glider]] is the page describing the pattern of that name
* [[Glider|This is a link to the same page]] but the text displayed for the link is different
* [[:Category:Patterns|Patterns]] is the page that lists all patterns currently catalogued on the website

You can also create links to other sites:
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_Game_of_Life Conway's Game of Life] at Wikipedia

== Tables ==
This is an example of a basic table. See Wikipedia's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Table Help:Table] page for an explanation of the table formatting and examples of different things you could do to this table.

{| class="wikitable"
! A title box !! Another title box !! Title for Column 3
! Title for Column 4
|-
| data
| Data || ''data''
| '''data'''
|-
| A box with lots of text in it.
This box even takes up
multiple lines
| 2 || 3 || 4
|}

{{ContributeNavbox}}

If you are stuck, please refer to the '''Community Guidelines''' and the '''Forums'''

LifeWiki:Sandbox

2026-07-15T21:16:52Z

Dvgrn: minor cleanup, removing "bossness" and an experimental table at the bottom

Welcome to the '''sandbox'''! This is a place where you can edit freely without having to worry about messing anything up. It contains lots of examples of wiki code that you can test and modify to see what happens.

== Using the Sandbox ==
Feel free to [http://www.conwaylife.com/wiki/index.php?title=LifeWiki:Sandbox&action=edit edit this page] any way you want: modify anything written here, add content, delete content, etc. Experiment however you would like. All that we ask is:
* Use the "Show Preview" option as much as possible. Using preview (instead of save) allows you to compare side by side what's in the edit box with the page's actual appearance. Preview also prevents all of your experiments from appearing in [[Special:Recentchanges|recent changes]].
* Do not add any copyrighted or offensive material here.
* Remember that any changes you make will be temporary. Other editors regularly clean up the sandbox, so it's ready for the next person who wants to use it.

== Other Sandboxes ==
* If you want to create your own personal sandbox that won't be quickly reverted in order to test something, you can create a page at <nowiki>[[User:<yourname>/Sandbox]]</nowiki>. You can even create more than one of these by adding a number or something like that to the end. Keep in mind that even though this may be in your User spac, the same rules apply there as to the rest of the site regarding the posting of copyrighted or offensive material. And again, please use "Show Preview" whenever possible to avoid flooding the Recent Changes with your test edits.

== Basic Editing ==
The wiki uses a simplified type of markup language that's easier to use and less rigid than standard HTML. A sentence
can be split
between
as many
lines as you would like. As long as there no blank lines in between, everything will be combined into one paragraph on the displayed page.

This is an example of a standard list, showing different types of basic text formatting:
* standard text
* ''italicized'' text
* '''bold text'''
* some '''''bold and italicized'' text'''
** an indented item in the list
** and another
*** keep adding asterisks to indent further
* back to regular indents

You can also create automatically numbered lists:
# The first entry
# The second entry
#* You can mix different types of lists
# The third entry

See the [[Help:Quick editing guide|quick editing guide]] for more examples. Also check out the buttons at the top of the edit window: clicking the buttons adds various types of text to the edit window. And below the edit window there's a list of symbols and Wiki markup codes: clicking on any of them will insert that text into the edit window.

=== Talk Pages ===
On talk pages, indents are used to tell who said what. So this would be the initial comment or question.
: Indented text like this would be a response.
:: And this would be another person's response. Also, comments on talk pages are signed: after you've finished typing what you want to say, click on the signature box above the edit window to automatically insert your signature. What it inserts looks like this: <nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki>, but the tildes are automatically changed into your signature when you save the page (and check what it looks like in the preview window, too!).

===== Sub-Sub-Section =====
Notice how this section's title uses four = signs instead of three (like the Talk Pages section) or two. You could even use five = signs. If you change any of the section titles, the table of contents at the top of the page will automatically update.

== Links ==
These are some examples of links to other pages in the LifeWiki:
* [[Glider]] is the page describing the pattern of that name
* [[Glider|This is a link to the same page]] but the text displayed for the link is different
* [[:Category:Patterns|Patterns]] is the page that lists all patterns currently catalogued on the website

You can also create links to other sites:
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_Game_of_Life Conway's Game of Life] at Wikipedia

== Tables ==
This is an example of a basic table. See Wikipedia's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Table Help:Table] page for an explanation of the table formatting and examples of different things you could do to this table.

{| class="wikitable"
! A title box !! Another title box !! Title for Column 3
! Title for Column 4
|-
| data
| Data || ''data''
| '''data'''
|-
| A box with lots of text in it.
This box even takes up
multiple lines
| 2 || 3 || 4
|}

{{ContributeNavbox}}

If you are stuck, please refer to the '''Community Guidelines''' and the '''Forums'''

LifeWiki:Editor pages

2026-06-30T19:28:35Z

Dvgrn: clarify a detail of how trusted flag assignment works

'''Welcome to [[LifeWiki:About|LifeWiki]]!''' This is a site devoted to cataloguing everything about [[Conway's Game of Life]] and related [[cellular automata]]. LifeWiki (as its name suggests) is a wiki, much like [http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia] (though [[LifeWiki:LifeWiki is not Wikipedia|not ''exactly'' like Wikipedia]]). This means that the entire site is a collaborative effort, to which anybody may contribute; just create an account and then click "[[Help:Editing|edit]]" at the top of any page contribute to that page. Changes and additions are always welcome, whether you are adding new [[pattern]]s to the site or just correcting a typo.

'''NOTE: After you create your account, a [[LifeWiki:Moderators|LifeWiki Moderator]] must set it to ''[[LifeWiki:Trusted|Trusted]]'' before you can edit the wiki. This is to prevent SPAM attacks and vandalism. Post in [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2300 this forum thread] (you will also need to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/ucp.php?mode=register create a forums account]) to have your account trusted. A "like" (heart) on your forum post by a moderator will mean that your trusted flag has been set.'''

==Help pages==
If you have never edited a wiki before, you will find our [[Help:Contents|help]] pages to be very useful as you get the hang of things. The help pages introduce you to the [[Help:Editing|editing]] procedure, proper [[Help:Formatting|wiki markup]], and other similar topics.
* '''[[Help:Categories|Categories]]''' - how to create and use categories effectively
* '''[[Help:Editing|Editing]]''' - a step-by-step guide to making a simple edit to a page
* '''[[Help:Formatting|Formatting]]''' - a description of how to produce proper spacing, emphasis, and so on within articles
* '''[[Help:Images|Images]]''' - how to create and upload images that match the formats used within the wiki
* '''[[LifeWiki:Pattern_pages#Pattern_pages:_howto_in_a_nutshell|Patterns]]''' - how to add one or more patterns to an article and display an image using [[LifeViewer]]
* '''[[LifeWiki:Pattern_pages#RLE_namespace_patterns]]''' - how to add pattern files to the [[RLE]] namespace for use by LifeViewer and upload to the Patterns directory
* '''[[Help:Rules|Rules]]''' - how to create new rule table and tree definitions in the Rule namespace repository, for reference by LifeViewer
* '''[[Help:Links|Links]]''' - how to connect wiki pages with each other and the outside web
* '''[[Help:Quick editing guide|Quick editing guide]]''' - a brief introduction to editing that goes over the most-used features and commands
* '''[[Help:Tables|Tables]]''' - for organizing data in rows and columns
* '''[[Help:Templates|Templates]]''' - useful for creating several articles (or sections of articles) that follow a similar format
* '''[[Help:User pages|User pages]]''' - useful for early drafts, interpersonal discussion, notices, and limited autobiographical and personal content

==Policies and guidelines==
{{main|LifeWiki:Policies and guidelines|Policies and guidelines}}
Because there is no official structure that polices the quality of our site, we have had to adopt various rules, procedures, and values that allow everyone to make effective contributions to the wiki. New editors on the site are not required to read through all of these policies and guidelines; they are not a list of rules that must be understood before participating in the site. Most of them are based upon common sense. Editors who act in good faith and treat other members of the community with good faith are unlikely to encounter any problems; editors will be notified if a situation arises where a policy or guideline may be relevant.

* '''[[LifeWiki:Deletion policy|Deletion policy]]''' - how and why to request deletion of a page
* '''[[LifeWiki:LifeWiki is not Wikipedia|LifeWiki is not Wikipedia]]''' - even though LifeWiki is similar in style to [http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia], there are important differences
* '''[[LifeWiki:Notability|Notability]]''' - what patterns and topics warrant their own page in LifeWiki
* '''[[LifeWiki:Pattern pages|Pattern pages]]''' - because the majority of the wiki is made up of pages about particular [[pattern]]s, there are plenty of guidelines in place to ensure that they are high-quality and of consistent format
* '''[[LifeWiki:Protection policy|Protection policy]]''' - what pages are protected from anonymous or non-administrative edits, and why
* '''[[LifeWiki:Style guide|Style guide]]''' - language use, proper capitalization, when and how to use emphasis, and so on

==Contributing==
These are many simple ways in which users can help improve LifeWiki, many of which do not require much knowledge of [[cellular automata]].

* '''[[LifeWiki:Helping out|Helping out]]''' - general ideas for improving the quality of the site
* '''[[LifeWiki:Task list|Task list]]''' - specific tasks that editors have requested be taken care of

There are several pages available to editors to help them find useful tools and categories quickly.

* '''[[LifeWiki:Editor categories|Editor categories]]''' - a list of categories and special pages that keep track of articles that need work
* '''[[LifeWiki:Sandbox|Sandbox]]''' - an area where users can experiment with wiki markup to their heart's content
* '''[[LifeWiki:Template list|Template list]]''' - a description of templates that are heavily-used throughout the site

==See also==
* [[LifeWiki:Privacy policy]]

{{ContributeNavbox}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-22T20:14:55Z

Dvgrn: link to spaceship's page, currently a work in progress

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 22''': [[Brithos]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=230117#p230117 first-ever forum post] contains a very large completed [[Unnamed_(28,3)c/84_spaceship|engineered spaceship]] based on the [[(28,3)c/84 Herschel climber]] reaction.
* '''June 12''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229719#p229719 solves] another frontier synthesis problem, [[37P3H1V0]], by creating a component that can add an extension onto [[25P3H1V0.1]]; only three known 37-bit spaceships ([[37P4H1V0]], [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq3_gxooy3ss0ac4552z0330110ee0561/b3s23 xq3_gxooy3ss0ac4552z0330110ee0561] and [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d/b3s23 xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d]) are now without known syntheses.
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 116 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 23''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228999#p228999 uses LightCone] to find a new [[Spartan]] glider-to-R-pentomino [[converter]] starting with a glider-activated pi explosion, with repeat time 187.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-22T16:38:33Z

Dvgrn: New (28,3)c/84 macro-spaceship

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 22''': [[Brithos]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=230117#p230117 first-ever forum post] contains a very large completed (28,3)c/84 Herschel climber [[engineered spaceship]].
* '''June 12''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229719#p229719 solves] another frontier synthesis problem, [[37P3H1V0]], by creating a component that can add an extension onto [[25P3H1V0.1]]; only three known 37-bit spaceships ([[37P4H1V0]], [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq3_gxooy3ss0ac4552z0330110ee0561/b3s23 xq3_gxooy3ss0ac4552z0330110ee0561] and [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d/b3s23 xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d]) are now without known syntheses.
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 116 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 23''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228999#p228999 uses LightCone] to find a new [[Spartan]] glider-to-R-pentomino [[converter]] starting with a glider-activated pi explosion, with repeat time 187.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-14T11:20:23Z

Dvgrn: mention the May 23 G-to-X

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 12''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229719#p229719 solves] another frontier synthesis problem, [[37P3H1V0]], by creating a component that can add an extension onto [[25P3H1V0.1]]; only three known 37-bit spaceships ([[37P4H1V0]], [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq3_gxooy3ss0ac4552z0330110ee0561/b3s23 xq3_gxooy3ss0ac4552z0330110ee0561] and [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d/b3s23 xq4_sighgay0ggzxgg4kiu933azw745d]) are now without known syntheses.
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 116 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 23''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228999#p228999 uses LightCone] to find a new [[Spartan]] glider-to-R-pentomino [[converter]] starting with a glider-activated pi explosion, with repeat time 187.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-13T02:26:35Z

Dvgrn: fix incorrect statement about 37-bit spaceships

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-12T15:34:25Z

Dvgrn: typo fix

37P3H1V0.1

2026-06-12T14:39:25Z

Dvgrn: A couple of the claims about unsynthesizability were out of date, so probably it's time to future-proof that section a bit

{{Spaceship
|name = 37P3H1V0
|pname = 37p3h1v0
|c = 37
|bx = 25
|by = 7
|dir = Orthogonal
|p = 3
|m = 3
|s = c/3
|z = c/3
|h = 33.3
|symmetry = n
|rulemin = B3/S23
|rulemax = B378/S23678
|isorulemin = B3-cek/S2-n3-ey
|isorulemax = B2n34cewz5cejkq6-ck78/S234ace5-j678
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|viewerconfig = #C [[ ZOOM 24 TRACKLOOP 3 0 -1/3 THUMBSIZE 2 GPS 2 HEIGHT 400 ]]
|apgcode = xq3_29mkz491tz2cbz1w96sgzxcge
}}
'''37P3H1V0''' is a small [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]], and the only such spaceship with a minimum population of 37.

This spaceship is the ninth-smallest c/3 orthogonal spaceship. Until June 2026 it had no known [[glider synthesis]], making it among the smallest such spaceships.

On June 12, 2026, [[vilc]] created a [[component]] recipe that successfully adds the necessary extension onto a passing [[25P3H1V0.1]].<ref name="post229719" />

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post229719">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229719
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = vilc
|date = June 12, 2026
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
{{LinkCatagolue|xq3_29mkz491tz2cbz1w96sgzxcge}}

[[Category:Unnamed periodic objects]]

__NOTOC__

LifeWiki:News archive

2026-06-12T14:30:02Z

Dvgrn: move first half of May to archive

The following is a list of past news items that ran on the [[Main Page]].

==Current news==
The [[Template:CurrentNews|following news items]] are currently live on the [[Main Page]]:
{{CurrentNews|nolinks=true}}
==2026==
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].
* '''April 30''' [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1849&p=228477#p228230 finds] a new stable G-to-X -- a [[glider]] to [[R-pentomino]] [[converter]] with a [[repeat time]] of 194 ticks.
* '''April 25''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=228088#p228078 constructs] the first [[oblique]] [[sawtooth spaceship]].
* '''April 24''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228048#p228048 posts] the first in a series of [[Demonoid]] spaceships with four-digit populations, radically smaller than any previous design, due to the hyper-optimized Snarkmaker and further contributions by [[russellsprouts]]; a major improvement is a [[Oncoming glider gun construction arm|completely new mechanism]] for a much more efficient [[construction arm]] than the standard [[single-channel]] design, using a temporary [[Simkin glider gun]] to produce slow salvos with less than three input gliders per output glider on average.
* '''April 9''': [[russellsprouts]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=227620#p227620 publishes] a hyper-optimized [[single-channel]] [[Snarkmaker]] recipe consisting of just 266 gliders -- nearly an order of magnitude improvement over the previous standard 2428-glider recipe that has been used in many [[self-constructing]] patterns.
* '''March 17''': [[ElijahKen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=226884#p226884 uses slmake] to assemble two [[self-constructing]] [[oblique spaceship]]s, an ibisship and a flamingoship, with [[single-channel]] construction recipes and a much simpler design than the original [[Gemini]] ibisship; the flamingoship is the first ship constructed in Conway's Life with a (6m,m) offset.
* '''February 22''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225881#p225881 constructs] a gun for [[25P3H1V0.1]] using a sparker-assisted synthesis requiring only 12 gliders.
* '''February 21''': [[siffrin normal]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225892#p225892 discovers] a new smallest period-103 oscillator, [[Siffrin's p103]], in a [[D4_x4]]-symmetric soup. With a minimum population of 68 cells, this is over 100 cells smaller than the [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xp103_yzyzyv33y58e1e88gzyzyzyzy3330311ybckzyzyzyz03224e6y725acy165lozyzyzylgs2552ypggzyzyzyxo8a6yf11zyzyzyma64y8742zzzzzyzyz4kcy86c2zzzzzyzy9gcoy8ca8zzzzzymg8oy88okzyo1ok46zy433ypg88ge2z6a8oy1ck8gy7os8gggy611z0bdy41y4g0ggy11zyd255t0t5y5ggzyh1y711/b3s23 previous record holder]. It is also the first known engine-based oscillator of this period, as well as the first to occur [[seminatural]]ly.
* '''February 20''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225769#p225769 discovers] a pre-pulsar-to-Herschel converter that can be combined with an older pulsar [[factory]] by [[Luke Kiernan]] to create a new Herschel conduit, R338. [[Jormungant]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225790#p225790 finds] a way to remove an awkward outbound glider by colliding it with the [[first natural block]] of the output Herschel, allowing many more connections to this conduit than would otherwise be possible.
* '''February 19''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225700#p225700 monomerizes] a [[T-nose]]d period-9 sparker found by [[siffrin normal]] on February 11. [[iNoMed]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225703#p225703 reduces] the size of the period-27 glider gun using this new sparker.
* '''February 16''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225566#p225566 designs and assembles] a working [[single-channel]] [[linear propagator]], with a bounding box less than 1/17th of the size (in each dimension) of the original 2013 linear propagator, with population somewhat lower also -- 83477 cells in many of the phases.
* '''February 9''': [[Evin]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225211#p225211 posts] two versions of a record-breaking "[[SlowSilver Demonoid]]", considerably smaller in bounding box and population than the previous smallest Demonoid, the [[0hd Demonoid]]; [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225193#p225193 produces] a version of the first SlowSilver Demonoid with a reduced bounding box.
* '''January 30''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224802#p224802 produces] a smaller unidimensional spaceship with a 776,525,415-cell bounding box, and a slightly higher velocity of 2c/27735693820; the previous version had length 795,435,669 and speed 2c/28409785756. [[I6_I6]] posted a 3,980,418-glider synthesis [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224804#p224804 the same day].
* '''January 18-24''': [[David Bell]] uses the new period-10 spaceship to construct [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224491#p224491 the first period-10 c/2 rake] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224234#p224234 multiple] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224390#p224390 families] of puffers, completing the collection of c/2 puffers with every possible multiple-of-10 period.
* '''January 18''': [[I6_I6]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224181#p224181 constructs] a gun for [[70P2H1V0.1]]. This is the first gun that fires a period-2 spaceship.
* ''' January 13-14''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223977#p223977 discovers] a new period-10 c/2 spaceship with a significant side spark. [[Hartmut Holzwart]] subsequently finds [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223993#p223993 low population] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224036#p224036 high-clearance] variants.
* '''January 11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223859#p223859 constructs] [[silk moth]], a (15,11)c/107 caterpillar-type spaceship using a reaction in which an [[I-heptomino]] non-destructively crawls along a glider wave while emitting an extra glider and leaving behind a block.
* '''January 10''': [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223840#p223840 discovers] a new H-to-R [[conduit]], HL150R, with a repeat time of 108 ticks.
* '''January 4''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223596#p223596 constructs] a [[Unidimensional spaceship 2|significantly reduced unidimensional spaceship]] that is over 4 times smaller and 4 times faster than the original.
* '''January 1''': The [[much smaller (34,7)c/156 spaceship]] wins the 2024 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition.

==2025==
* '''December 27''': A five-month-long collaboration concludes when [[vilc]] successfully [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223246#p223246 synthesizes] the final 23-bit [[still life]] for which no glider synthesis was known; a recipe is now available for all 1,646,147 [[strict still life]]s with 23 bits.
* '''December 23''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223059#p223059 assembles] [[giraffe weevil]], a [[self-supporting]] (28,7)c/448 [[giraffeship]], using a spine made of xWSS convoys that are arranged to release a glider whenever they encounter a block, while moving the block by (7,-28); this mechanism supports limited [[slow salvo]] construction equivalent to the arrangements of loaves in a [[Caterloopillar]], but allows for oblique rather than orthogonal travel.
* '''December 20-21''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222948#p222948 builds] two [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223006#p223006 "fleet puller"] [[growing spaceship]]s, where the tail end pulls a [[fleet]] along with it two diagonal steps at a time, if the fleet is present; otherwise a blinker is alternately created and destroyed.
* '''December 19''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222911#p222911 constructs] a very compact [[traffic jam]] signal injector based on the [[syringe]], with the same low [[repeat time]] (78 ticks, overclockable to 74 ticks but not 75 since traffic jam wicks are period 2).
* '''December 17-19''': [[qqd]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222856#p222856 creates] a stable [[Heisenburp]] device with a repeat time of 837 ticks that can detect passing [[solifuge]] spaceships -- or [[waterbear]]s or other oblique spaceships that use the same technology to turn LWSS streams 90 degrees at a corner. ElijahKen subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222920#p222920 reduces] the [[repeat time]] to 597 ticks.
* '''December 14-21''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222700#p222700 discovers] a "wave minstrel", a [[(2,1)c/6]] [[tagalong]] for [[Sir Robin]] that supports a connection to [[knightwave]] -- followed a week later by [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222977#p222977 another] completely new [[minstrel]]; these are the first new minstrel tagalongs since the [[baby minstrel]] appeared in {{year|2023}}. Both of them are tagalongs to the wandering minstrel, with initial sections that are different from each other and also from the connecting minstrel.
* '''December 10''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222522#p222522 builds] a [[stable]] MWSS-to-HWSS [[hammer]] (a device made only from stable circuitry that converts an MWSS directly into an HWSS) in response to a construction challenge.
* '''December 10''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222545#p222545 builds] an "exponentially spaced binary counter" in response to a construction challenge.
* '''December 9''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222483#p222483 constructs] a gun for a [[solifuge]] variant based on glider syntheses by [[hibiscus]], [[iNoMed]], and Goldtiger997. This is by far the smallest known gun for an [[oblique spaceship]].
* '''December 2-7''': [[Nora Brown]] constructs "[[solifuge]]" camelships with greatly reduced [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222287#p222287 bounding box] (with [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222342#p222342 slight additional reduction] by [[Elijah Ken]]) and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222422#p222422 population] using improved (12,4)c/62 technology; the new designs fit inside a minimal bounding box of {{times|315|287}} and have a minimum population of 1415 respectively.
* '''December 2''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=222136#p222136 completes] a [[Unidimensional spaceship 1|unidimensional spaceship]] with a speed of 2c/133076755768 and a bounding box of {{times|1|3707300605}} based on preliminary work by many other contributors.
* '''December 1''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7111 voting begins] for the [[Pattern of the Year]] 2024 competition. Users have until the end of December to cast their votes.
* '''November 30''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222000#p222000 constructs] a complete [[self-supporting]] [[Solifuge|(12,4)c/62 spaceship]], named "solifuge", based on an oblique [[crawler]] made up of four copies of a versatile [[LOM]]-based reaction; the spaceship is a tiny fraction of the size of previously known [[camelship]]s.
* '''November 29''': [[branoc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221972#p221972 builds] a new "B2D" unit -- a two-dimensional memory storage mechanism used by [[APGsembly]]-based calculators -- using components from [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214963#p214963 enofet's design] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214883#p214883 EvinZL's boat reactions].
* '''November 28''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221926#p221926 completes] the first-ever signal loop containing a segment of 5c/9 wire, combining previous discoveries by [[Extrementhusiast]], [[Simon Ekström]], and [[Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''November 24''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221791#p221791 updates] the original [[Thessalonic Demonoid]] to be fully Thessalonic (circuitry entirely made from eaters and blocks, with no temporary Snarks at any stage).
* '''November 18''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221591#p221591 discovers] a period-14 [[pipsquirter]] using a [[drifter]] reaction by [[Adam P. Goucher]].
* '''November 1-11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220821#p220821 confirms] that [[70P5H2V0]] is the only strict, symmetric, even-width, period-5 2c/5 orthogonal spaceship up to 70 cells, simultaneously showing that [[30P5H2V0]] and [[34P5H2V0]] are the only period-5 2c/5 orthogonal spaceships up to 35 cells. Amling later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221244#p221244 extends] these results to show that there are exactly three symmetric, even-width, period-5 2c/5 spaceships up to 74 cells and no additional period-5 2c/5 spaceships up to 37 cells.
* '''November 5''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221123#p221123 discovers] [[Hilton's p66]] via D8_1-symmetric [[apgsearch]]. This is the first period-66 oscillator to occur [[seminatural]]ly
* '''November 3''': [[qqd]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220926#p220926 finds] a direct conversion mechanism using only stable [[catalyst]]s, with a [[glider]] input and [[traffic jam]] output.
* '''October 27''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220431#p220431 confirms] that [[mazing]] and [[mold]] are the only period-4 oscillators up to 17 cells.
* '''October 26''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220366#p220366 discovers] a period-2 Rx130 [[Herschel conduit]] using only catalysts more [[Most_common_objects_on_Catagolue|common]] than [[eater 1]] and constructs a common-catalyst Herschel loop using this new conduit along with [[R64]], [[sidesnagger]], and a boat-and-toad glider eater.
* '''October 26''': The [[Golly Gang]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220354#p220354 releases] Golly 5.0.
* '''October 22-26''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://gitlab.com/mvr2/apgmera/-/commit/a6b0dff94cd8fe786ebf859cb742e5d2b6a2a35b implements] the remaining GPU symmetries for [[apgsearch]] (fourfold rotational and all reflectional types with diagonal lines of symmetry). Using this, [[siffrin normal]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220358#p220358 discovers] new oscillators of periods 7 and 8.
* '''October 23''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220160#p220160 substantially improves] a heuristic originally developed by [[Mitchell Riley]] for quickly identifying [[ash]] patterns containing objects from a desired list without triggering false positives from common objects.
* '''October 20''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220019#p220019 completes] a period-3 [[bouncer]] based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]]. This is the first fast period-3 [[colour-changing]] reflector to be found.
* '''October 18''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219897#p219897 completes] a [[Thessalonic Demonoid]], the first self-constructing spaceship with permanent circuitry that consists only of eaters and blocks.
* '''October 17''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219840#p219840 discovers] a small period-4 HWSS-to-B-heptomino converter and uses this to construct a compact period-8 HWSS reflector.
* '''October 5-13''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219697#p219697 confirms] that the [[glider]], [[crab]], and [[wings]] are the only period-4 c/4 diagonal spaceships up to 27 cells.
* '''October 9''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219505#p219505 discovers] a 6-glider [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for [[fuse with two long tails]], proving that every 12-bit still life can be synthesised with 6 or fewer gliders.
* '''October 4''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219224#p219224 confirms] that [[pseudo-barberpole]] is the only period-5 oscillator up to 15 cells.
* '''October 4''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219193#p219193 builds] a [[sawtooth]] pattern with a new front-end speed, [[c/8 diagonal]], based on two streams of gliders from c/12 forward rakes repeatedly catching up to a [[walrus]].
* '''September 23-October 4''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218791#p218791 constructs] [[gliderless]] guns for [[LWSS on HWSS 3]], [[MWSS on MWSS 1]], [[Coe ship]], [[loafer]], and [[2-engine Cordership]]. These are the first known gliderless guns for non-[[standard spaceship|standard]] spaceships.
* '''September 26''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218702#p218702 builds] a [[splitter]] for a specific triplet of gliders with a [[repeat time]] of 57, one tick smaller than the record set by Entity Valkyrie on September 7.
* '''September 21''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218322#p218322 produces] the first known gliderless [[sawtooth]] pattern, involving streams of [[LWSS]] pairs chasing a [[turtle]].
* '''September 2-15''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217959#p217959 further reduces] the [[Leaf_bug_2#Gun|leaf bug]] gun to a bounding box of {{times|82,038|71,679}}, which is more than an order of magnitude reduction in each dimension relative to the original design.
* '''September 10''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217747#p217747 discovers] SW28T249, a new and surprisingly simple [[Spartan]] Herschel-to-glider [[converter]] with a [[repeat time]] of 249 ticks.
* '''September 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217567#p217567 constructs] a stable duplicator for the LWSS-on-LWSS [[pseudo]]-spaceship with a repeat time of 58 ticks. This is now the lowest known repeat time for a stable duplicator of a moving object or pseudo-object, being 3 ticks lower than [[speed tunnel]]-based glider duplicators.
* '''August 29''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=216920#p216920 reduces] the [[leaf bug 2#Gun|leaf bug gun]] from a bounding box of {{times|1,097,252|829,150}} to a bounding box of {{times|124,834|117,922}}.
* '''August 18-22''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7031 starts a new thread] to track the remaining unsynthesized 23-bit strict still lifes. Progress is being made with a mix of approaches (e.g., new custom components to convert an already synthesized still life to one of the target forms, and also adaptations of soup-search results). An early list of 591 unsolved still lifes was reduced to below 450 as of August 22, and to 222 by September 10.
* '''August 14''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=216063#p216063 constructs] a gun for a variant of [[leaf bug 2]]. This is the first gun to fire a 31c/240 orthogonal spaceship.
* '''August 10''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215877#p215877 discovers] three closely related 2c/7 orthogonal spaceships, two of them bilaterally symmetric, based on a front end by [[shuich01]]. In terms of their {{times|23|28}} bounding box, they are tied as the third smallest known 2c/7 spaceships, after [[weekender]] and [[doo-dah]].
* '''August 5''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215632#p215632 further reduces] the repeat time of the [[2c/3 wire|2c/3]] receiver to 504 ticks.
* '''August 1-2''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215428#p215428 reduces] the repeat time of the [[2c/3 wire|2c/3]] receiver to 629 ticks using a new emitter which releases a glider and a [[Herschel]]; [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215500#p215500 the next day], [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] improves the repeat time to 570.
* '''July 26''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] and [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215098#p215098 complete] a synthesis of a 15WSS supported by [[pushalong 1]]. This is the longest [[overweight spaceship]] flotilla synthesized so far.
* '''July 24''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215056#p215056 completes] a proof that all [[overweight spaceship]] flotillas consisting of a single overweight spaceship supported on each side by a single [[standard spaceship]] can be synthesised. This proof relies on earlier work by [[Mark Niemiec]], [[David Buckingham]], [[Dieter Leithner]], [[Martin Grant]], and [[Evin]].
* '''July 23-25''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[KtT]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215037#p215037 complete] a synthesis for [[35P4H1V1]] in 41 gliders. This was the last known unsynthesised spaceship up to 35 bits, and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215062#p215062 leaves] 8 known ships up to 37 bits that are currently unsynthesised.
* '''July 20''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[KtT]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214835#p214835 complete] a synthesis for the previously unbuildable [[37P4H1V1.2]], in 49 gliders.
* '''July 19''': [[enofet]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199849#p199849 posts] a revised 2D memory storage device, capable of being plugged in to calculator mechanisms in place of the much larger and slower 'SQ' unit in [[Osqrtlogt]], which was constructed with 2010-era technology (no [[syringe]]s and no [[Snarks]]).
* '''July 17''': New contributor [[enofet]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214731#p214731 completes] a period-67108864 (2<sup>26</sup>) gun for c/11 Speed Demonoids -- definitely the first gun created for a c/11 spaceship!
* '''July 14''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214543#p214543 completes] a 139-glider synthesis for a 42-cell [[c/3]] spaceship, [[42P3H1V0]]; this is the first new c/3 spaceship synthesized since 2022.
* '''July 12''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214481#p214481 constructs] the final step of a [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for [[34P5H2V0]], and [[vilc]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214483#p214483 completes] the synthesis in 52 gliders (since reduced to 40 gliders). With a minimum population of 34 cells, 34P5H2V0 was the smallest known spaceship without a known glider synthesis. This leaves [[35P4H1V1]] and a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202880#p202880 handful] of [[overweight spaceship]] [[flotilla]]s as the current smallest known unsynthesised spaceships.
* '''July 10''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214373#p214373 discovers] a new elementary Herschel conduit, the third conduit with an "F150" rating; it has a [[repeat time]] of 136, due to using the Herschel's first natural block for cleanup rather than suppressing it.
* '''July 9''': [[David Bell]] uses a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214345#p214345 new backward Cordership rake] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214346#p214346 improve the minpop record] for a [[moving sawtooth]] from 540 cells to 374.
* '''July 3-11''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] and [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214066#p214066 reduce] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214120#p214120 four] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214423#p214423 remaining] 13-glider syntheses to prove that all 16-bit still lifes can be synthesised with 12 or fewer gliders.
* '''June 21''': [[Gustone]] makes adjustments to [[leaf bug 2]] to set separate new records in population ({{times|13179|6698}} at 24757 cells) and bounding box ({{times|12927|6576}} at 24814 cells); a further adjustment improves on both of those records, reaching {{times|12415|6315}} with population 24460.
* '''June 7-14''': A further set of design improvements allows [[Gustone]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=213261#p213261 complete] the [[leaf bug 2]], a record-breaking small macro-spaceship by any metric -- smaller than the [[0hd Demonoid]] in population (26571 vs. 27250) and smaller than the [[water strider]] in bounding box ({{times|13339|7107}} vs. {{times|14023|7309}}).
* '''June 1''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212696#p212696 constructs] an adjustable-period [[Cordership]]-based puffer with a new record minimum population of 249 cells.
* '''May 28-29''': [[shuich01]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212476#p212476 discovers] the first width-25 [[gutter]]-symmetric 2c/7 spaceship. This is the minimum possible width for a period-7 2c/7 ship with this symmetry type. [[iNoMed]] subsequently combines a component from this ship with older 2c/7 components to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212506#p212506 construct] an asymmetric ship which, in terms of its minimum population of 123 cells, is the smallest known 2c/7 ship that does not involve a [[weekender]].
* '''May 21''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=212197#p212197 discovers] [[Blackjack]], a 40-celled 'almost-glide-symmetric' p21 oscillator whose two parts shift a block diagonally in opposite directions with uneven phase shifts, similar to [[David Hilbert]].
* '''May 18''': [[b3s23love]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1452&p=212110#p212110 creates] a {{times|13|13}} "artificial soup" producing a [[2-engine Cordership]] together with debris; the previous predecessor with the smallest bounding box was {{times|14|14}}.
* '''May 15-17''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=211965#p211965 modifies] [[sawtooth 195]] (the smallest known sawtooth by bounding box at {{times|62|56}}) to start at {{times|57|55}}. Entity Valkyrie, David Bell and EvinZL reduce this to a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=212057#p212057 final bounding box] of {{times|48|50}}.
* '''May 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] uses a different hack to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=211900#p211900 find] 1558 new 2-glider still life conversion components, and 14608 3-glider components; upon running the transfer.py script, this is expected to reduce a significant number of syntheses.
* '''May 11''': [[Mitchell Riley]] uses a hacked [[QuFince]] fork to discover [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=211748#p211748 reductions to various syntheses], most notably {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_g8og806hbqicz122643|name=paperclip quad|style=raw}} 10G->8G, [[Cyclic]] 9G->8G, [[cha cha]] 12G->10G, {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_gs2ib8bi2sgz2egjk4kjge2zy0101|name=scrubber with four covers|style=raw}} 23G->16G, and {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_084ob8q4ggz114b2q342|name=square on four griddles|style=raw}} 28G->20G.
* '''March 9 - May 16''': Nick Poyntz ({{LinkCatagolue|xs52_br0raar0rbzqr0raar0rq|name=in Catagolue comments|style=raw}}) finds a 50-glider synthesis for quadruple eater 2 (a patch of the [[tablecloth]]), which DroneBetter, PK22 and KtT successively reduce to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=212010#p212010 28 gliders].
* '''April 16''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=210054#p210054 reduces] a previous population-624 moving sawtooth to produce a variant with a repeating minimum population of 584.
* '''April 12''': [[Shuich01]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209777#p209777 discover] a small [[lobster]] tagalong. This gives the first new period-7 c/7 diagonal spaceship since 2011.
* '''April 6-7''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209381#p209381 constructs] a [[sawtooth]] with a new record minimum repeating population of 168 cells.
* '''April 3''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209209#p209209 sets another new record] for the smallest known unsynthesizable still life, now down from 162 cells to 154 cells, with a [[Unique_father_problem#Reductions|self-forcing patch]] containing 251 cells instead of 272 cells.
* '''April 1''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209042#p209042 constructs] a "corner [[highway robber]]", a new design where gliders coming from two possible perpendicular directions are detected by the same bait beehive.
* '''April 1''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=208915#p208915 constructs] the first 2c/5 orthogonal [[Greyship#Types_of_greyships|against-the-grain greyship]]. Although this greyship uses patches of with-the-grain stripes, it differs from the hybrid greyship in that all with-the-grain patches have a bounded size, while the against-the-grain patch can be made arbitrarily large.
* '''March 26''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=208144#p208144 discovers] the first [[gun#True-period_guns|true]] period-18 glider gun, based on a partial result by [[Period1GliderGun]]
* '''March 22''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207651#p207651 discovers] the first period-14 [[independent reflector]], based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* '''March 21''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207549#p207549 discovers] the first period-15 [[independent reflector]], based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]].
* '''March 16''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207054#p207054 discovers] the first [[gun#True-period_guns|true]] period-14 glider gun. This is the smallest possible gun period.
* '''March 11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=206535#p206535 constructs] a hybrid 2c/5 [[greyship]]. This is the first 2c/5 greyship with an extensible [[against-the-grain]] section.
* '''March 4''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205815#p205815 discovers] a [[period-47 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[Caleb R. Hilton]] that is 85% smaller than the previous record holder.
* '''February 23''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205012#p205012 reduces] the bounding box of the [[period-35 glider gun]] significantly, using [[LLS]] to find smaller component p5 and p7 sparkers.
* '''February 20''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204578#p204578 discovers] a record-breaking small [[period-60 glider gun]] which, after being combined with a p8 [[filter]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204593#p204593 reduced] by [[iNoMed]] and [[hotcrystal0]], gives a [[true period]] p120 glider gun that is smaller than the true-period single-barreled [[Simkin glider gun]].
* '''February 17''': [[Chris Rowett]]'s [[LifeViewer]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204244#p204244 celebrates] its ten-year anniversary.
* '''February 11-20''': Manual and semi-manual searches, as well as search programs like Mitchell Riley's [[LightCone]], continue to turn up new [[Spartan]] conduits such as [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203970#p203970 HL226B], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203694#p203694 HF78B], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204585#p204585 HLx86B]; some of these are fairly compact and potentially useful in [[self-constructing]] circuitry, since they fill long-standing holes in toolkits used for adjusting timing parity and/or output color.
* '''February 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203792#p203792 discovers] the first 2c/5 orthogonal chicken wire [[greyship]].
* '''February 8''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203442#p203442 constructs] a record-breaking small period-80 HWSS gun based on a new p80 R-pentomino hassler by [[Caleb R. Hilton]]. This gun has the unusual property of being [[gliderless]].
* '''February 7''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses [[Logic Life Search]] to reduce the [[p28 glider gun]], making it the tenth period with a true-period gun smaller than the single-barreled [[Simkin glider gun]].
* '''February 6''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses [[Logic Life Search]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203178#p203178 complete] a single-engine p57 glider gun based on a partial result by [[ElijahKen]]. Subsequent reductions by Merzenich, ElijahKen, [[iNoMed]], and [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203255#p203255 result] in a single-engine gun that is 45% smaller than the previous 2-engine gun.
* '''February 3''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203003#p203003 discovers] and [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203014#p203014 synthesises] a new 32-cell 2c/4 orthogonal spaceship.
* '''February 1''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202848#p202848 synthesises] LWSS pulling [[Unnamed tagalong 23P4H2V0]]. At 32 cells, this was the smallest known spaceship without a previously known glider synthesis.
* '''January 29-31''': A flurry of activity [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202752#p202752 produces] a transparent-loaf-themed [[highway robber]] with record-breaking recovery time of 550 ticks, [[overclocking|overclockable]] to 537-544, with a suggested mechanism by [[Tawal]] and contributions by [[Louis-François Handfield]], [[Caleb R. Hilton]], [[confocaloid]], [[EvinZL]], and [[Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''January 31-February 2''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202694#p202694 invents] a novel mechanism for a new 31c/240 self-supporting spaceship, the [[water strider]]; over the next few days, the bounding box is then gradually reduced by more than half.
* '''January 28''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202525#p202525 discovers] a 19-glider [[synthesis]] for [[32P4H2V0]]. This leaves LWSS pulling [[Unnamed tagalong 23P4H2V0]] as the only currently known spaceship up to 32 cells without a known glider synthesis.
* '''January 18''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201924#p201924 discovers] a new record smallest-population unsynthesizable still life, population 162, with 271 specified cells in the self-forcing patch (124 ON, 147 OFF); this exactly ties the previous [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193510#p193510 271-cell record] for total specified cells.
* '''January 18''': An apgsearch haul by 'ASA-X Supercomputer' contains the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201903#p201903 first natural appearance] of [[long^9 snake]] from an asymmetric soup, almost a decade after the first occurrence of [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_31248gzy21248go/b3s23 long^8 snake] which currently has two dozen C1 occurrences.
* '''January 18''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201885#p201885 uses] a [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xp30_9f9zbrby18sq36z232xgwgzy0rgc77cgr/b3s23 small period-30 sparker] to reduce the areas of the classic [[period-690 glider gun]] and the [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/guntrue_360/b3s23 period-360 glider gun] by double-digit percentages.
* '''January 8''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201352#p201352 discovers] [[tarantula]], a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]] which, in terms of its minimum population of {{cells|58}} cells, is tied with [[spider]] as the smallest known spaceship of this speed.

==2024==
* '''December 31''': [[blah]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6808 posts a complete package] containing a 32-bit computer implemented in Conway's Life -- the "323" -- along with an assembler script, example programs, extensive HTML documentation and an MP4 introductory video. (!)
* '''December 30-31''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200626#p200626 constructs] an activation step for a [[synthesis]] of the c/5 orthogonal spaceship [[Kermit]]. [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200713#p200713 completes] a 343-glider synthesis through a collaborative effort with several other users.
* '''December 27''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200488#p200488 completes] the [[leaf bug]], a record-breaking new self-supporting 31c/240 spaceship with a smaller population (though larger bounding box) than the previous record-holding self-supporting spaceship (the [[waterbear]]).
* '''December 23''': Rei posts an [[APGsembly]] program that calculates and displays in the Life universe a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200299#p200299 plot of the Mandelbrot set].
* '''December 18-23''': [[Tim Coe]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200083#p200083 reduces] the size of the smallest sawtooth-based diehard from [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=169143#p169143 53×53] to 49×49, [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200295#p200295 reduced again] several days later to 47×47 by b3s23love; the resulting diehard's lifespan is much smaller than the 53×53 diehard's lifespan of 1826659985823844806 ticks -- i.e., the new lifespan of 1237975907532 ticks is only a record for the new reduced bounding box size.
* '''December 18''': [[User:Confocal|confocaloid]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200067#p200067 constructs] a [[Racetrack_(disambiguation)|racetrack]] oscillator showcasing a diagonal 5c/26 [[biblock]] [[wire]]; the wire is supported by an extensible p4 sparker found by Keith Amling [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190922#p190922 in July].
* '''December 14''': A significantly improved compiler and emulator package for [[APGsembly]] version 2 is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199807#p199807 posted] by new contributor [https://conwaylife.com/forums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3758 branoc], with new optimized arithmetic components, sample code and documentation.
* '''December 11''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199619#p199619 completes] a very high-clearance period-7 middleweight sparker based on a partial result by [[hotcrystal0]].
*'''December 5''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199295#p199295 completes] the first [[true-period|true]] [[period-35 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[iNoMed]] and [[hotcrystal0]].
*'''November 18''': [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198122#p198122 discovers] a small, direct [[H-to-MWSS]] conduit with a repeat time of 141 ticks. [[Period1GliderGun]] and [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198142#p198124 subsequently] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198137#p198137 find] variants that reduce the repeat time to 120 ticks.
* '''November 3''': [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197214#p197214 discovers] a new set of connectable Spartan converters with [[E-heptomino]] inputs, further expanding the set of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197272#p197272 known E-heptomino conduits].
* '''November 2''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197089#p197089 finds a way] to use stable catalysts to make a p2 [[traffic jam]] [[wire]] turn a 90-degree corner with no help from [[sparker]]s.
* '''October 28-30''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196777#p196777 builds] the first known [[true]] [[period-47 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[iNoMed]], after which the [[bounding box]] is reduced by more than a factor of four by several contributors over the next two days, from 311 × 289 down to [[Luka Okanishi]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196889#p196889 greatly simplified design] at 147 × 144.
* '''October 20''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196315#p196315 completes] a redesigned [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|(34,7)c/156 spaceship]] with a bounding box of (52514, 158980) and minimum population of 655,594; this is less than 1/38th of the population and less than 1/6000th of the area of the previous version of this spaceship constructed by [[Luka Okanishi]] last year.
* '''October 10''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/search.php?author_id=2896&sr=posts Anivec] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195741#p195741 rebuilds] an initial stage from Mitchell Riley's H-to-Gs into a [[Herschel]]-to-[[B-heptomino]] converter; [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195743#p195743 notices] that this is actually a known [[E-heptomino]] converter appended to a previously unknown Herschel-to-E converter, [[HRx93E]] -- which enables completely new Spartan Herschel conduits [[Rx155]] and [[R194]], among other things.
* '''October 10''': [[Mitchell Riley]]'s "[[LightCone]]" search program [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195724#p195724 finds] several new Spartan [[Herschel]]-to-[[glider]] converters.
* '''October 9''': [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1155&p=195651#p195651 finds] a synthesis for [[popover]].
* '''October 9''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195696#p195696 adapts] Kazyan's [[B29]] spaceship recipe to construct a period-84 gun, with a considerable reduction in size and period from the previous B29 gun (which was period 148).
* '''October 9''' [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195663#p195663 reduces] the glider construction recipe for the [[B29]] spaceship to 16 gliders, with an improvement to 15G by [[User:DroneBetter|DroneBetter]].
* '''October 7-8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195564#p195564 assembles] an adjustable-period oblique [[spaceship]] based on [[(2,1)c/6]] puffers and rakes, alternately building and then burning a (4, 2)c/6 [[bi-block]] [[fuse]]; the next day the spaceship is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195607#p195607 upgraded] to an adjustable-period 48+24N [[forerake]].
* '''October 4''': [[Alex Greason]] finds a large number of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195565#p195565 reduced-cost glider syntheses] by running an exhaustive search in "QuSrc" (a custom-modified version of [[QuFince]]) to inspect all possible 5-glider collisions with glider placements in a 15x15 bounding box.
* '''September 30''': AlphaPhoenix posts a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8pjrVbdafY YouTube video] walking through the process of starting with an arbitrary 16x13 target pattern and finding a 20-step [[predecessor]] of it; 20 steps might be the current record for an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196293#p196293 arbitrary pattern of this width] -- though AlphaPhoenix's chosen pattern was a p2 oscillator, so a very large number of trivial predecessors are known for that specific pattern for any backtracking depth.
* '''September 26''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=194858#p194858 notices] that a [[catalyst]] used in one of [[Simon Ekstrom]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190878#p190878 H-to-Gs from July 29] solves a very long-standing limitation of the stable [[F171]] conduit, reducing its [[repeat time]] from 227 ticks to as low as 120.
* '''September 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] finds [[Lx65 duplicator]], a record-breaking elementary [[Herschel]] [[fanout device]] -- a [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Lx65#Stable_Spartan_catalyst stable Spartan variant] of the known [[Lx65]] conduit, which until now has generally needed sparker support.
* '''September 4''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193512#p193512 makes available] (via a published script) a general synthesis method for all members of the [[Clock#Extensibility|long<sup>N</sup> clock]] family of p2 oscillators.
* '''September 2-4''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193366#p193366 discovers] a population-184 solution to the [[unique father problem]] with a self-forcing patch containing 283 specified (both on and off) cells and fitting in a {{times|16|20}} bounding box, each of these statistics being the smallest known. [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193510#p193510 notes] that a self-forcing patch with as few as 271 specified cells exists for this still life.
* '''September 1''': The [[Spacefiller#Synthesis|Spacefiller synthesis]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193430#p193430 wins] the 2023 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition.
* '''August 29''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193166#p193166 completes] a new smallest period-74 [[gun]] based on a partial result by [[Mitchell Riley]].
* '''August 26''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192907#p192907 discovers] a surprising period-96 [[B-heptomino hassler]] that combines the functionality of p45 and p51 hasslers [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192896#p192896 found] by [[Period1GliderGun]] a day earlier.
* '''August 23''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192750#p192750 completes] the RCT15 optimization project, reducing the tape length by roughly a factor of three from the first working RCT15 pattern -- and now constructing a working [[spacefiller]] instead of Alan Hensel's decimal counter.
* '''August 19''': After a quick sequence of syntheses by several contributors, [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192477#p192477 assembles a recipe] for the final unsynthesized 22-bit still life, xs22_8k487p8z39c321; the 22-bit synthesis project is now complete.
* '''August 14-15''': The number of unsynthesized 22-bit still lifes dropped to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192069#p192069 only 75] by August 14; by the next day, recipes had been found for more than half of the remaining still lifes.
* '''August 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191930#p191930 constructs] a fully rectangular against-the-grain [[greyship]].
* '''August 1''': Voting [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6646 begins] for the 2023 [[Pattern of the Year]] contest, with voting set to end at the end of August.
* '''July 31''': [[vilc]] shows an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191053#p191053 example] of a compact period-32 [[wire#2c/3 wire|2c/3 wire]] transmitter and receiver.
* '''July 31''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191044#p191044 proves] that the 140-cell [[statorless p3]] is the unique smallest possible statorless period-3 oscillator in terms of its minimum population.
* '''July 27''': A long-term effort by [[May13]] starting back in January brings the number of unsynthesized 22-bit still lifes down to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190727#p190727 below 400], with several people contributing more syntheses since then.
* '''July 26''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190627#p190627 discovers] [[86P118]], the smallest known period-118 oscillator, based on a partial by [[iNoMed]].
* '''July 16''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189896#p189896 reduces] the best known [[highway robber]] [[recovery time]] from 742 ticks to 651 ticks.
* '''July 4''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189015#p189015 improves] the repeat time of the [[wire#2c/3 wire|2c/3 receiver]] from 742 ticks to 708, using a [[bronco]], a [[Jubjub reflector]], and an alternate ship-and-beehive [[bait]] proposed by [[Simon Ekström]].
* '''July 3''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189000#p189000 recent optimization effort] orchestrated by [[Vort]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=186557#p186557 starting in June], with many contributions by [[confocaloid]], [[Louis-François Handfield]], and others, has greatly reduced the maximum and average sizes of guns with four-digit prime periods.
* '''June 30''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188787#p188787 optimizes] the [[2-engine Cordership]] seed to use 14 objects instead of 15; on the next day the minimum object count is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188864#p188864 reduced] from 14 to 12.
* '''June 30''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188784#p188784 completes] a period-66 [[crab]] [[gun]] using a variant of Goldtiger997's crab recipe by [[iNoMed]] that allows for low-period guns; [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188803#p188803 builds] a period-61 version.
* '''June 28''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=188666#p188666 improves] the cost of synthesizing a [[crab]] (an important component of fast self-constructing circuitry) from 14 gliders to 11.
* '''June 28''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188652#p188652 constructs] a period-89 [[loafer]] gun based on a very fast synthesis by [[Louis-François Handfield]].
* '''June 27''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[Entity Valkyrie]] set [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188611#p188611 new records] for a compact pseudo-period-16 LWSS gun, using an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188565#p188565 improved insertion recipe by vilc] from the previous day.
* '''June 27''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188596#p188596 updates] the digital-clock seed from May, to make it possible to compile it into a [[slow salvo]] using [[pslmake]].
* '''June 21''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188166#p188166 reworks] the June 11 "loafer bitmap printer" design to use much more compact orthogonal [[MWSS]]-based memory loops.
* '''June 20''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188020#p188020 constructs] the first gun for [[77P6H1V1|a c/6 diagonal spaceship]] using a synthesis found by [[Goldtiger997]] in January 2024.
* '''June 13''': [[whatislife]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187562#p187562 discovers] a [[stable]] 50-cell, {{times|18|14}} {{LinkCatagolue|xp0_wggy09ghuzwd54czwci96z31h88c1vg7p48czw11x1221|name=135-degree LWSS-to-G|style=raw}} using [https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/silk/ Silk], with an input file similar to the sample input used to re-find the [[Snark]] but with an input LWSS instead.
* '''June 11''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187367#p187367 completes] a small, nearly edge-shooting glider-to-loafer converter with p154 technology to match the repeat time of the known 8-glider loafer synthesis.
* '''June 10''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187352#p187352 discovers] (using [[Silk]]) a new [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Spartan_G-to-W-to-H glider-to-wing conduit], which can be connected to a known wing-to-Herschel conduit to make a [[glider-to-Herschel converter]] with only [[eater 1]]s and [[block]]s.
* '''June 8''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187167#p187167 posts] a period-10 [[pipsquirter]], made by combining a known period-10 [[Wire#2c/3_wire|2c/3 signal]] injector found by [[Dongook Lee]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187345#p187345 in 2015] with a new 2c/3-signal-to-pipsquirter [[converter]] from recent [[Silk]] searches.
* '''May 29''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=186198#p186198 posts] a [[one-glider seed]] for a complete 24-hour digital clock mechanism.
* '''May 5''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] reports in a new Discord thread the commencement of coding work on [[Silk]], a new CUDA drifter search program inspired by [[Mitchell Riley]]'s [[Barrister]].
* '''April 30''': [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=183857#p183857 posts] a modification of a partial [[Herschel]]-to-Herschel converter pointed out by [[Anivec]], producing an easily connectable and completely [[Spartan]] [[L141]] conduit with three output gliders including the [[FNG]] and [[SNG]].
* '''April 19''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] completes a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ9BBcskBjY "Herschel Tracks Tutorial"] YouTube video about creating custom oscillators using Herschel conduits.
* '''April 17''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] uses [[qfind]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2031&p=182823#p182823 discover] a new [[c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship that can support a wave [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2070&p=38229#p38229 found] by [[Park Shinhwan]]. Furthermore, it can also support various c/7 pushalongs found by [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[Frank Everdij]].
* '''April 8''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182059#p182059 constructs] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182092#p182092 refines] a puffer demonstrating that all sufficiently high [[c/4 diagonal]] [[rake]] periods are achievable. [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses this to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182134#p182134 construct] a clean p3532+4N rake.
* '''March 31''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=181579#p181579 builds] a complete 2c/3-wire-based [[pseudo-Heisenburp]] device with 742-tick repeat time.
* '''March 27-30''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=181171#p181171 completes] a 2c/3 receiver with a [[repeat time]] of 876 ticks, which [[Adam P. Goucher]] eventually improves to 742 ticks using [[staged recovery]] mechanisms; the previous record-setting receivers needed 964 or 970 ticks to recover.
* '''March 20''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180679#p180679 discovers] a period-26 [[bouncer]]-based reflector, the first independent reflector of this period, using components by [[Nora Brown]] and [[Dean Hickerson]].
* '''March 19''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180587#p180587 constructs] new p6 [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[greystretcher]]s in which the stripes are bounded by extended [[table]]s.
* '''March 18''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfmCyrfxkTM posts a YouTube video] about the discovery of the [[true]] [[period-15 glider gun]] and [[period-16 glider gun]], and the history leading up to those discoveries.
* '''March 17''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=180474#p180474 discovers] the first period-16 90-degree independent [[reflector]] based on a suggestion by [[Matthias Merzenich]], using the [[period-16 glider gun]] to hassle a honey farm predecessor and produce a [[banana spark]]. 90-degree reflectors are known for all periods except 14, 17, and 19 with periods 15, 23, and 26 having only [[dependent reflector]]s.
* '''March 16-17''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180367#p180367 completes] a new [[c/4 diagonal]] unstable [[puffer engine]] (only the third known puffer engine at this speed) based on a partial result by Matthias Merzenich. [[Caleb R. Hilton]] uses sparkers to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180370#p180370 stabilise] the unstable engine into explicit puffers. [[David Bell]] uses this engine to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180388#p180388 construct] the first p52 c/4 diagonal rake, and "b3s23love" and Merzenich use it to substantially [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180390#p180390 reduce] the size of the p108 c/4 diagonal rake.
* '''March 12''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180119#p180119 discovers] a population-236 solution to the [[unique father problem]] with a self-forcing patch containing 389 specified (both on and off) cells and fitting in a {{times|22|20}} bounding box, each of these statistics being the smallest known.
* '''March 12''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180102#p180102 completes] the first [[c/4 diagonal]] backward-to-sideways glider reflector using reactions by [[Keith Amling]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]]. Using one of Bell's glider-releasing reactions and a beehive-to-ship converter by Amling, Merzenich [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180103#p180103 constructs] the first c/4 diagonal p28 rake and demonstrates the existence of rakes at periods 32, 36, and 40.
* '''March 9''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179932#p179932 shows] that a previously known "double beehive push catalyst" found by Tanner Jacobi in December 2020 can serve as a [[2c/3 wire]] input conduit for either a single wire or two perpendicular wires, with a repeat time of only 100 ticks; [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179942#p179942 finds a way] to activate the catalyst with a single passing [[Herschel]] with repeat time 176, and [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179988#p179988 points out] a reset mechanism with a repeat time as low as 56 ticks (eventually reduced to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180709#p180709 42 ticks]).
* '''March 1''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179391#p179391 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-15 glider gun]] using a [[B-heptomino_hasslers#p15|B-heptomino hassler]] by [[Carson Cheng]] hours after finding the first p16 gun. Period-15 is now the smallest period for which a true-period gun is known.
* '''February 29''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179363#p179363 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-16 glider gun]] using [[Charity's p16]] and a [[B-heptomino_hasslers#p16|B-heptomino hassler]] by [[Nora Brown]]. Period-16 is now the smallest period for which a true-period gun is known.
* '''February 26''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179093#p179093 discovers] a period-6 c/2 [[greystretcher]] in which the stripes are bounded by [[coiled snake]]s.
* '''February 24''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178897#p178897 completes] a non-period-doubling stabilization of iNoMed's p19 partial, which also allows for a stabilization of the wick. The result is [[goban]], the second known period-19 oscillator. [[EvinZL]] notes that there are two variants with slightly different connection points.
* '''February 23''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178793#p178793 discovers] that a period-19 partial result by [[iNoMed]] can be completed with a period-doubling catalyst, giving a period-38 oscillator. [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178803#p178803 notices] that the p19 component can be extended to form a wick.
* '''February 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178796#p178796 discovers] two different [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher|stretchers]] for a pair of [[coiled snake]]s.
* '''February 18''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178449#p178449 notices] that a previously unrecognized pattern by [[Mitchell Riley]] from September 7, 2022 is actually a complete period-171 oscillator and is in fact the smallest known p171 oscillator.
* '''January 29-February 2''': [[Keith Amling]], with some help from [[Matthias Merzenich]], discovers new [[c/4 diagonal]] spaceships ([https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176777#p176777], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176789#p176789], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=177108#p177108]) capable of eating a variety of objects including ships, blocks, boats, beacons, beehives, barges, loaves, tubs, toads, and mangoes.
* '''January 26-28''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176602#p176602 completes] a 259-[[glider synthesis]] of [[77P6H1V1]], making it the first [[c/6 diagonal]] spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''January 22''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176315#p176315 discovers] the first [[true-period|true]] [[period-53 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[goldenratio]].
* '''January 20''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://cp4space.hatsya.com/2024/01/20/every-finite-phoenix-has-period-2/ proves] that every finite [[phoenix]] has period 2.
* '''January 14-15''': [[Keith Amling]] discovers [[c/4 diagonal]] eaters for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175711#p175711 blocks] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175747#p175747 blinkers] and uses the block eater to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175765#p175765 construct] the first period-40 c/4 diagonal ship. [[David Bell]] and [[May13]] use these to reduce the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175776#p175776 p72], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175738#p175738 p80], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175767#p175767 p116] [[rake]]s. [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175754#p175754 notices] that an incidental reaction in the blinker eater allows a known ship to eat a glider stream and can also be used to complete the first c/4 diagonal ships of periods 28, 32, and 36.
* '''January 10-13''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175654#p175654 proves] that no finite [[phoenix]] oscillators exist at periods 3 through 69.
* '''January 9-12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175284#p175284 discovers] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175495#p175495 reduces] the first period-9 [[c/3 orthogonal|c/3]] [[backrake]], the lowest possible period for a c/3 rake. [[May13]], [[Evin]], Merzenich, and Amling use this to construct the first c/3 rakes of periods [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175304#p175304 18], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175309#p175309 63], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175312#p175312 99], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175358#p175358 117], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175312#p175312 126].
* '''January 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175245#p175245 reduces] the known upper bound on the average [[agar]] [[density]] from 320/559 ≈ 0.572 to 1176/2087 ≈ 0.563. The highest average density is conjectured to be 1/2.
* '''January 5''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1074&p=174903#p174903 discovers] (using [[qfind]]) the first period-9 4c/9 orthogonal spaceship in a [[Life-like cellular automaton]] (B3567/S14578), fitting within a {{times|19|676}} bounding box in one phase.
* '''January 1''': [[Layz Boi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1074&p=174682#p174682 discovers] (using [[WLS]]) two new p2 lightspeed [[spaceship]]s in [[Life-like cellular automaton|Life-like rules]] containing both B2 and B3 but not B0 or B1, increasing the number of such rules in which spaceships are known to 10 (of the 8192 without S0 that have not been disproved).

==2023==
* '''December 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] uses [[QuFince]] to find a 15-glider synthesis for the last remaining 17-bit still life that had cost 16 gliders -- completing the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174201#p174201 "17-in-15" project].
* '''December 21-29''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173858#p173858 finds] a c/4 p80 puffer, which several days later is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174473#p174473 cleaned up] by [[David Bell]] (and independently by May13) to produce complete c/4 p80 [[rake]]s.
* '''December 20''': [[Luke Kiernan]] uses [[Barrister]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1849&p=173771#p173771 complete] a [[boojum reflector]] variant with a different output glider -- which also implies a new G-to-R based on the [[Herschel receiver]] and a stable 4hd [[lane]] [[shifter]] based on the [[glider stopper]].
* '''December 19-21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173671#p173671 discovers] a period-8 [[c/4 diagonal]] [[rake]]. Other users find various applications for this, including [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173853#p173853 a p72 rake] by [[praosylen]] with a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173858#p173858 reduction] by [[May13]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173906#p173906 filtered] to p144 by [[David Bell]].
* '''December 17''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173506#p173506 discovers] [[Snark64]], a new color-preserving 90-degree [[glider]] [[reflector]] with repeat time 64 -- useful for synchronization problems, since it has a different output [[parity]] from the [[Snark]].
* '''December 16-26''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173480#p173480 reduces] the known upper bound on the average [[agar]] [[density]] from 8/13 ≈ 0.615 to 17/28 ≈ 0.607. [[NooneAtAll3 ]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174190#p174190 reduces] this further to 320/559 ≈ 0.572.
* '''December 12''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173166#p173166 finds] a compact [[glider]] to [[wing]] to [[LWSS]] converter.
* '''December 10''': [[Keith Amling]] proves ([https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172934#p172934], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172938#p172938]) that there are no [[phoenix]] oscillators of periods 7, 9, or 11.
* '''December 10''': [[Alex Greason]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172853#p172853 discovers] a 5-glider [[synthesis]] for [[amphisbaena]], proving that all [[:Category:Strict_still_lifes_with_11_cells|11-cell still lifes]] can be synthesized with 5 or fewer gliders.
* '''December 8''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172734#p172734 discovers] a new type of [[c/5 diagonal]] [[wickstretcher]] for a period-2 wick.
* '''December 2''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172367#p172367 constructs] a (6,3)c/1024 [[knightship caterpillar]] with an almost completely new support mechanism, re-using only the [[over-unity]] glider production mechanism from the [[half-baked knightship]].
* '''November 29''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172182#p172182 discovers] a new longest-lasting known [[natural]] [[diehard]], a {{times|16|16}} [[soup]] lasting 1,413 generations before completely dying out, via [[apgsearch]].
* '''November 22''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171705#p171705 proves] that [[37P4H1V0]] is the unique smallest possible period-4 [[c/4 orthogonal]] spaceship in terms of its minimum population of 37 cells.
* '''November 18-December 2''': David Bell [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171415#p171415 extends] earlier work on [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170856#p170856 period-116 c/4 spaceships] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171051#p171051 c/4 rakes] by EvinZL and May13, respectively.
* '''November 16''': Several people extend a new [[beehive]] [[factory]] partial by [[Mitchell Riley]] to produce [[conduit]]s, usually with [[repeat time]] 90, that convert gliders to [[G-to-X_(November_2023)|other active objects]].
* '''November 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171254#p171254 proves] that [[30P5H2V0]] is the unique smallest possible period-5 [[2c/5 orthogonal]] spaceship in terms of its minimum population of 30 cells.
* '''November 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171092#p171092 discovers] [[44P49]], the smallest known period-49 oscillator, which quickly leads to a number of related [[SKOP]] records being broken.
* '''November 12-13''': [[Keith Amling]] completes a census of all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171012#p171012 period-3 ships up to 49 cells] and all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171031#p171031 period-2 ships up to 80 cells] which discovers 6 new c/3 ships and proves that [[64P2H1V0]] is the smallest possible period-2 ship.
* '''November 8-10''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170685#p170685 discovers] a high-clearance variant of a known p28 [[c/4 diagonal]] puffer and combines two such engines to form a p116 puffer. Two days later, [[praosylen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170835#p170835 modifies] the p116 puffer to form a [[dirty rake]] and [[Evin]] uses this dirty rake to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170856#p170856 construct] a clean p116 rake. The previous lowest known c/4 diagonal rake period was 4508.
* '''November 2''': affamatodidio [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170361#p170361 finds] and EvinZL reduces a [[Spartan]] 180-degree same-lane [[glider]] [[reflector]] with the same timing as [[Jubjub]].
* '''October 22''': iNoMed [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169611 finds] a new [[period-201 glider gun]] engine, the first engine of that period to be found and the smallest gun of that period by bounding box.
* '''October 20''': Nora Brown [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169492 finds] a new p41 engine, the [[p41 pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''October 12''': iNoMed combines an engine by Luke Kiernan and a sparker by Carson Cheng to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169035 create] the first p81 engine, a p81 [[Pi-heptomino hasslers#p81|pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''October 9''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168887#p168877 finds] a toggle-safe [[glider to block]] [[converter]].
* '''October 5''': [[Tim Coe]] adds [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168544#p168544 two more levels of tetration] to the lifespan of a 112×89 "diesuperhard", pushing the lower bound up beyond 13^^^3; the bounds are then moved beyond 17^^^3 on the same day due to improvements by [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Evin]], with a similar sized bounding box (116×86).
* '''October 5''': Based on a partial result by [[Mitchell Riley]], [[iNoMed]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1159398574103199794 completes] a p42 glider gun fitting in a 32×23 bounding box, making it currently the seventh smallest [[true-period]] glider gun.
* '''October 4''': [[Randall D. Beer]] [https://www.complex-systems.com/abstracts/v32_i01_a01/ proves] that no {{times|7|7}} [[Garden of Eden]] exists, and provides constraints on the population of {{times|8|8}} and {{times|9|9}} ones (which are not known to exist).
* '''September 15-28''': Collaborative progress on enormously long-lived [[diehard]]s continues on the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167981#p167981 "engineered diehards" thread], passing the threshold on September 28 of 11^^^3 = 11 ^^ (11 ^^ 11) ticks (where ^^ is the operator for tetration, i.e., iterated exponentiation).
* '''September 24''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167691#p167691 discovers] a period-76 shuttle for a pair of pi-heptominoes which, at 52 cells, is the smallest known oscillator of this period.
* '''September 23''': [[Evin]] discovers compact, stable glider [[pulse divider]]s with new period multipliers of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167612#p167612 5], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167615#p167615 11], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167642#p167642 12], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167615#p167615 4+6n]
* '''September 18''': [[Mitchell Riley]] discovers [[86P107]], the first engine-based period-107 oscillator, and the smallest known oscillator of that period.
* '''September 9''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166691#p166691 constructs] a new type of [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[agar ship]].
* '''September 6''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166490#p166490 completes] a period-6 [[c/3 orthogonal]] ship containing a simple [[wick]].
* '''September 4''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Unique_father_problem#Reduction constructs] a 278-cell unconstructible still life, smaller in population and bounding box than the previous minimum 306-cell version.
* '''September 1''': The 2022 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166268#p166268 concludes] with a tie for first place between the explicit 15-glider [[reverse caber-tosser]] and the unsynthesizable and limited-ancestor objects.
* '''August 31''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166120#p166120 constructs] the first c/3 [[Greyship#Types_of_greyships|against-the-grain greyship]] based on an idea by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''August 28''': [[Carson Cheng]], [[Mitchell Riley]], and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165969#p165969 collaborate] to find the smallest known p140 oscillator.
* '''August 27''': [[Mitchell Riley]], [[iNoMed]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165849#p165849 collaborate] to find the smallest known p126 oscillator. [[Nora Brown]] and [[iNoMed]] then use this oscillator to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165853#p165853 construct] a new record smallest p126 gun.
* '''August 26''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165834#p165834 discovers] the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] [[greystretcher]].
* '''August 11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164881#p164881 discovers] the first [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]]s and [[greystretcher]]s.
* '''August 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164825#p164825 discovers] a new type of c/4 orthogonal [[greystretcher]].
* '''August 1''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164406#p164406 completes] a [[R-pentomino hasslers#p93|p93 R-pentomino hassler]], the first engine-based period-93 oscillator, based on a partial result by [[Carson Cheng]].
* '''July 22''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=164021#p164021 completes] a [[period-41 glider gun]] using a design by [[Matthias Merzenich]] based on a partial result by [[May13]] and [[David Raucci]]. iNoMed subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164030#p164030 constructs] a much smaller p41 gun using an alternate design.
* '''July 21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163987#p163987 completes] a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[greyship]] with a record-breaking steep descent.
* '''July 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163972#p163972 discovers] a [[204P41|180° p41 dependent reflector loop]], the first {{period|41}} oscillator, proving that Life is [[omniperiodic]]. Brown also [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163993#p163993 finds] a related 90° p41 dependent reflector a few hours later. [[May13]] then [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164009#p164009 constructs] an independent [[bumper]]-based p41 reflector using the 180° dependent reflector.
* '''July 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163664#p163664 discovers] [[cribbage]], the first {{period|19}} oscillator, leaving period 41 as the only period for which no oscillator is known.
* '''July 13''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163639#p163639 discovers] and subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163643#p163643 reduces] the first engine-based {{period|59}} [[gun]] which is much smaller than the [[p59_dependent_reflector_loop#Other_uses_of_the_dependent_reflector|previous Herschel-based record]].
* '''July 6''': [[Darren Li]] [https://gitlab.com/ascendantdreamweaver/scourge releases] [[scourge]], an [[ikpx]]-like oscillator search program.
* '''June 29''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163131#p163131 discovers] the [[p71 dependent reflector loop]], the smallest known {{period|71}} [[oscillator]].
* '''June 29''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://github.com/nicobrownmath/LocalForce/tree/spaceship releases] a modification of [[LocalForce]] that can be used to search for [[dependent reflector]]s.
* '''June 16''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162720#p162720 discovers] fenceposts for a very thin period-8 wick that was first presented in [[Lifeline_Volume_3#Page_17|Lifeline Volume 3]] in 1971.
* '''June 11''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162576#p162576 disproves] the existence of 4-cell-high [[orphan]]s in Conway's Game of Life. 5-cell-high orphans had previously been discovered by [[Steven Eker]] in 2016.
* '''June 6''': The [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|(34,7)c/156 spaceship]] project, based on the [[(34,7)c/156 Herschel climber]], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162379#p162379 is completed] by [[Luka Okanishi]].
* '''June 2''': The [[Stable Storage Spaceship]] project [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162210#p162210 is completed] by [[Goldtiger997]], resulting in an [[engineered spaceship]] consisting of a [[glider]] colliding with a large [[still life]] [[constellation]].
* '''May 26''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161994#p161994 discovers] the [[Pi-heptomino_hasslers#p78|p78 pi-heptomino hassler]], the first engine-based {{period|78}} [[oscillator]].
* '''May 18''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=161675#p161675 discovers] [[mold on fire-spitting]], a previously unnoticed [[LCM oscillator]] which is the smallest known non-trivial {{period|12}} oscillator.
* '''May 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1107315680287653888 discovers] the [[p82 lumps of muck hassler]], the smallest known {{period|82}} [[oscillator]].
* '''May 11-16''': [[Andrew Trevorrow]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6015 makes available] two versions of a "HatLife" Glu script that can explore cellular automata running on tilings of the recently discovered aperiodic "hat" monotile.
* '''May 11''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161411#p161411 assembles] a very large [[stable]] [[constellation]] (22,620 ON cells) that acts as a one-[[MWSS]] [[spacefiller]] [[seed]].
* '''May 8-9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161321#p161321 discovers] simple wick-based c/5 [[greyship]] connections that allow the construction of new greyships and [[Wickstretcher#Greystretchers|stretchers]].
* '''April 23''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160785#p160785 completes] the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]] based on a partial result by [[Keith Amling]].
* '''April 21''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1099006580030185472 discovers] [[42P38]], the smallest known {{period|38}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160728#p160728 discovers] the [[p67 B-heptomino hassler]], the first engine-based {{period|67}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160719#p160719 discovers] the [[p68 century hassler]], the smallest known {{period|68}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 19''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160630#p160630 discovers] the [[p26 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known [[non-trivial]] {{period|26}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 18''': Forum user 'blah' [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160607#p160607 completes] a period-2^18 WireWorld metacell running in the Conway's Life rule.
* '''April 18''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160604#p160604 discovers] the first engine-based [[Period-49_glider_gun_(April_2023)|period-49 glider gun]] which is much smaller than previous [[Hotcrystal0_reaction#Generalized form|glider loop based guns]].
* '''April 10''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160290#p160290 discovers] a [[c/6 diagonal]] [[tubstretcher]], the first c/6 diagonal [[wickstretcher]] of any type.
* '''April 8''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160239#p160239 discovers] a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[barberpole]] [[wickstretcher|stretcher]].
* '''April 5''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160181#p160181 discovers] the first engine-based period-61 [[gun]] which is significantly smaller than previously known guns of this period.
* '''April 4''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160041#p160041 completes] a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[linestretcher]] with help from [[Matthias Merzenich]]. Merzenich [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160048#p160048 finds] an alternate solution to Amling's partial result soon after.
* '''April 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160180#p160180 discovers] a period-42 oscillator whose [[volatility#strict|strict volatility]] matches its ordinary [[volatility]]. This was the last composite period for which no such oscillator was known.
* '''April 1''': New smallest known oscillators of periods [[72P119|119]], [[51P384|128, 192, 256, and 384]] -- [[Table_of_oscillators_by_period|SKOPs]] -- are posted by [[Mitchell Riley]], and by [[iNoMed]], [[Adam P. Goucher]], and [[Carson Cheng]] based on the initial period-384 oscillator discovery.
* '''March 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159458#p159458 constructs] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159470#p159470 reduces] a new [[quartermax]] variant based on a partial result by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''March 21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159336#p159336 completes] a [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[agar ship]] for a high-density period-2 agar.
* '''March 19''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159240#p159240 assembles] a 1227-glider [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] based on a reduced final stage by [[Goldtiger997]]; optimizations are continuing, with a 1153-glider synthesis available on March 23.
* '''March 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159069#p159069 completes] a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[ants]] waveguide.
* '''March 13''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158923#p158923 completes] a 2373-glider [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]], reduced the same day to 2283 gliders (with more reductions likely).
* '''March 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158775#p158775 discovers] a [[c/4 diagonal]] [[barberpole]] [[wickstretcher]].
* '''March 9''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158774#p158774 discovers] a small elementary 0-degree colour preserving [[Stable reflector|stable glider reflector]] with repeat time 59.
* '''March 6''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158649#p158649 discovers] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158651#p158651 slightly reduces] a record-breaking small period-68 [[gun]] based on a new [[oscillator]] by [[Mitchell Riley]].
* '''March 4''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159163#p159163 discovers] a symmetric soup producing four copies of [[14P2.4]]. This means that all known still lifes, oscillators, and spaceships up to 15 cells have occurred at least [[semi-natural]]ly, although [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140882#p140882 some] have still not occurred [[natural]]ly.
* '''March 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158612#p158612 discovers] a record-breaking small period-52 [[gun]].
* '''February 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158264#p158264 finds] the activation step for a [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]].
* '''February 21-22''': The first occurrence of the 15-cell still life [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs15_321e88gzxca1/b3s23 xs15_321e88gzxca1] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158017#p158017 appears] in a random [[soup]] found by [[Charity Engine]]. Charity Engine also [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158077#p158077 finds] a second occurrence of this still life less than 24 hours later. This leaves the [[long|long<sup>9</sup>]] extension of [[snake]] as the only 15-cell still life not known to occur [[natural]]ly.
* '''February 17''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=157697#p157697 discovers] a [[c/4 diagonal]] [[linestretcher]] that can stretch lines with the closest possible spacing.
* '''February 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=157631#p157631 completes] a [[c/4 diagonal]] maximum-density multi-[[tubstretcher]] based on a [[wave]] by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''February 14''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=157535#p157535 discovers] a 6-glider [[synthesis]] of [[amphisbaena]], showing that every 11-cell [[still life]] can be synthesized with 6 or fewer gliders.
* '''February 13''': The [[Conwaylife Lounge]] Discord server reaches 1,000 members.
* '''February 2''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156856#p156856 discovers] an extensible [[wickstretcher]] and an [[agar ship]] based on the [[overweight spaceship]].
* '''February 1''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156771#p156771 completes], and Goldtiger997 later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156865#p156865 optimizes], a [[stable]] [[pseudo-Heisenburp]] device that detects a passing c/3 [[crotchet ship]] by removing its final [[anacrusis]] and then adding it back later.
* '''January 31''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156728#p156728 discovers] [[94P53]], the first known [[engine]]-based period-53 oscillator.
* '''January 24''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156408#p156408 discovers] a [[strictly volatile]] period-25 oscillator, [[Charity's p25]].
* '''January 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156338#p156338 discovers] a period-8 c/2 [[greystretcher]] component that uses blocks to stabilize the [[zebra stripes]].
* '''January 20''': [[Darren Li]] uses [[Open Science Grid]] and a modified [[ikpx2]] to find [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156206#p156206 a surprisingly small (2,1)c/6 tagalong], which can be attached to [[Sir Robin]], [[Sir Sprayer]], and various minstrels in a wide variety of ways, including a connection to itself.
* '''January 20''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156198#p156198 completes] a [[gliderless]] lightweight spaceship gun based on [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156185#p156185 a partial result] by [[iNoMed]] and [[Lucy D'Agostino]].
* '''January 17-19''': [[Carson Cheng]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156093#p156093 discover] small [[glider gun]]s for periods 70, 72, and 84.
* '''January 12''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155852#p155852 discovers] the [[walrus]], the first known elementary [[c/8 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''January 2-8''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155419#p155419 reduces] the minimum population record for a [[Max]] predecessor to 110 cells. Rocknlol subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=155703#p155703 reduces] this by finding a 107-cell Max predecessor, as well as a predecessor fitting in a record 21×19 bounding box.

==2022==
* '''December 29-31''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155354#p155354 finds] a 127-cell [[Max]] predecessor, the smallest such pattern known in terms of population. [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155419#p155419 improves this further] by finding a 112-cell Max predecessor, as well as a predecessor fitting in a record 21×21 bounding box.
* '''December 23-28''': [[Goldtiger997]] finds the key activation steps for another [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155161#p155161 66P5H2V0], and another [[c/4]] diagonal spaceship, [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1057593135489892382 37P4H1V1].
* '''December 13''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154825#p154825 constructs] a [[c/4 orthogonal]] "[[agar]] [[spaceship]]" escorting an adjustable-sized patch of period-4 "[[OWSS]] agar".
* '''December 12''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154792#p154792 discovers] the first known [[engine]]-based period-61 oscillator, a [[Pi-heptomino_hasslers#p61|p61 pi-heptomino hassler]]. This also becomes the smallest known p61 oscillator.
* '''December 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154748#p154748 discovers] a [[light speed]] fuse capable of extending a [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[wave]].
* '''December 9''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154625#p154625 finds] a [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] component for extending a [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]]. This gives the first known infinite series of synthesizable c/3 spaceships.
* '''December 5''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154464#p154464 discovers] [[taco]], the third known elementary [[c/7 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''December 2-3''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154361#p154361 publishes] a script for constructing a [[strictly volatile]] [[oscillator]] with any period greater than or equal to 945.
* '''November 25''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154110#p154110 finishes] a 99-[[glider]] [[synthesis]] of a previously unsynthesized spaceship, "[[brain]]", solving a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=22530#p22530 long-standing open problem].
* '''November 21''': [[gravity]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153956#p153956 discovers] another new [[Methuselah#Infinite_growth|puffer-based methuselah]] within {{times|20|20}}, this time lasting 126,932,978 generations.
* '''November 17''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153747#p153747 discovers] the first [[true]] period-34 [[glider gun]].
* '''November 15''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153564#p153564 completes] the 21-cell [[still life]] [[synthesis]] project. The project has spanned over a year and is the work of a large number of contributors.
* '''November 12''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153483#p153483 discovers] the [[p43 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|43}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 12-15''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153465#p153465 reduces] the cost of the [[reverse caber-tosser]] to 15 gliders, and produces a new [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153609#p153609 "RCT15" demo pattern] and associated viewer scripts.
* '''November 11''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153452#p153452 constructs] the [[Speed Orthogonal Loopship]], a new [[adjustable spaceship|adjustable]] [[loopship]] design.
* '''November 9''': A "[[semi-natural]]" [[Gosper glider gun]] [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/hashsoup/C4_4/o_hjWdgGhm7agu146534448/b3s23 appears] on Catagolue for the first time, in a [[symmetric]] [[soup]].
* '''November 8''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153274#p153274 finds] [[glider synthesis|syntheses]] for the last two 20-cell [[pseudo still life]]s.
* '''November 8''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153284#p153284 discovers] the [[diamondback]], which is tied with [[rattlesnake]] for the smallest known {{period|11}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 8''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153266#p153266 discovers] a dependent [[bouncer]]-based period-23 glider reflector using [[92P23|an oscillator]] by [[Mitchell Riley]]. This is the first p23 reflector of any type to be found.
* '''November 7''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153250#p153250 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-25 glider gun]].
* '''November 7-9''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153201#p153201 posts] an [[RCT]] demo pattern with all ash trails successfully cleaned up, and two days later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153348#p153348 completes] the remaining cleanup and construction tasks at the [[epicentre]] -- demonstrating in detail that any glider-constructible pattern can be constructed with exactly 16 gliders.
* '''November 4-6''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153058#p153058 discovers] the [[70P23|p23 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|23}} [[oscillator]] up to that point, and then [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153183#p153183 finds] yet another smaller p23 oscillator, [[55P23]], two days later.
* '''November 3''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153032#p153032 discovers] [[54P94]], the smallest known {{period|94}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 2''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153007#p153007 discovers] a small [[period-51 glider gun]], whose capped version is also the smallest known {{period|51}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 30''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152874#p152874 discovers] [[p73 lumps of muck hassler]], the smallest known {{period|73}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 24''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152606#p152606 discovers] a smaller period-32 [[glider gun]] using a new twin bees hassler.
* '''October 21''': [[Simon Ekström]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152460#p152460 discovers] [[NW-2T16]], a new [[Herschel-to-glider]] converter which [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152506#p152506 can also be used] to create the [[SKOP|smallest known oscillators of periods]] 89, 97, 101, and 103.
* '''October 20''': New user [[gravity]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152437#p152437 discovers] a [[List_of_long-lived_methuselahs#Puffer-based_methuselahs|puffer-based methuselah]] within a {{times|20|20}} [[bounding box]] lasting 13,629,876 generations.
* '''October 20''': Voting for the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5747 belated 2012 Pattern of the year competition] has been extended to the end of the year.
* '''October 8''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151938#p151938 discovers] [[34P20]], the smallest known non-[[LCM]]-based {{period|20}} [[oscillator]]. It is also the first known period-20 oscillator with [[volatility]] 1, although it is not [[strictly volatile]].
* '''October 3''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151727#p151727 discover] [[52P44]], the smallest non-[[LCM]]-based {{period|44}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 3''': [[cvojan]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151695#p151695 discover] a [[period-40 glider gun]] with a 27×20 [[bounding box]] - the fourth smallest of a glider gun with a unique period.
* '''October 3''': The [[Open Science Grid]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151700#p151700 discovers] [[76P86]], the smallest known {{period|86}} [[oscillator]], using [[apgsearch]].
* '''October 2''': Using parts of a new [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151696#p151668 extensible 8-engine Cordership], [[Brett Berger]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151675#p151675 completes] a pattern that produces a single glider stream with an irrational bit density, followed by another pattern that emits gliders in a line whose slope is the golden ratio.
* '''October 2''': [[cvojan]] and [[vivi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151670#p151670 discover] a [[period-24 glider gun]] with a 21×20 [[bounding box]], later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151697#p151697 reduced] to 20×20 by [[James Pascua]], making it the second smallest known glider gun with a unique period.
* '''October 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151681#p151681 discovers] a small [[p28 block puffer]] using [[apgsearch]].
* '''October 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151646#p151646 finds] a [[92P23|third period-23 oscillator engine]], a beehive-and-honeyfarm hassler.
* '''October 1''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151619#p151619 discovers] [[115P106]], the smallest known {{period|106}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 1''': [[Luke Kiernan]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151605#p151605 discover] the [[p68 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|68}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 27''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151430#p151430 discovers] the [[p79 pi-heptomino hassler]], both the smallest known {{period|79}} [[oscillator]] and the first of that period not based on adjustable-period mechanisms.
* '''September 23''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151303#p151303 finds] [[70P26|a new SKOP26]] ([[SKOP|Smallest Known Oscillator of Period]] 26), using an unusual [[catalyst]] [[constellation]] made up of an [[elevener]] plus a common [[ship]]+[[fishhook]] combination.
* '''September 22''': googleplex [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151285#p151285 completes] a previously unfinished [[c/4 orthogonal]] moving [[wick]] from the '''jslife-moving''' collection, adding a front end to a back end found by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''September 22''': A new period-86 [[R-pentomino]] [[hassle|hassling]] oscillator and [[Herschel]] [[factory]] is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151276#p151276 discovered] by Nora Brown, adjusted by iNoMed, and made strict-[[volatility]] by Nora Brown with several variants with different relative phases.
* '''September 14''': The [[Open Science Grid]] finds simpler [[glider syntheses]] for multiple [[oscillator]]s, specifically [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151006#p151006 5 gliders] for the [[caterer]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151012#p151012 6 gliders each] for [[bi-pentadecathlon 1]] and [[boat tie bipole]].
* '''September 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151003#p151003 discovers] [[108P59]], the smallest known {{period|59}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 12''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150930#p150930 discovers] the [[p94 R-pentomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|94}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150882#p150882 discovers] the first true [[period-43 glider gun]] and, as a corollary, the first non-[[Snark]]-based {{period|43}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 1''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150469#p150469 discovers] the [[p71 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known {{period|71}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 26''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150241#p150241 discovers] the [[p85 R-pentomino hassler]], which in its minimum form is the smallest known {{period|85}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 21''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149933#p149933 completes] the [[p129 R-pentomino hassler]] based on a partial result by [[Luke Kiernan]]. With only 38 cells, it is the smallest known {{period|129}} oscillator.
* '''August 16''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149645#p149645 discovers] new [[pi-heptomino hassler]]s of periods 35, 40, 58, and 160, while [[Carson Cheng]] finds a new [[honey farm hassler]] of period 24.
* '''August 16''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149677#p149677 completes] an "octo3g" orientation-agnostic hash library for the existing database of 3-glider collisions, allowing active 3G collision patterns to be searched in the same way as the previous octo3obj and octohash databases, with (probably) no false positives.
* '''August 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149466#p149466 discovers] [[p11 thumb]], a small {{period|11}} [[oscillator]] and the first with an asymmetric [[rotor]] to appear in an official [[Catagolue]] symmetry.
* '''August 9''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149347#p149347 discovers] a [[p45 pi-heptomino hassler]] with only 29 cells, making it the smallest known {{period|45}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 9''': The [[Open Science Grid]] begins contributing CPU and GPU resources to [[Catagolue]].
* '''August 8''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149315#p149315 discovers] [[R-pentomino]] [[hassler]]s of periods [[p49 R-pentomino hassler|49]] and [[p91 R-pentomino hassler|91]]. The former is the smallest known {{period|49}} [[oscillator]] by population, while the latter [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149322#p149322 can be turned] into the smallest known period-91 [[glider gun]].
* '''August 4''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149120#p149120 discovers] a [[p220 honey farm hassler]].
* '''August 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149077#p149077 discovers] [[34P7]], a small {{period|7}} [[sparker]] with similar functionality to the previously-discovered [[meatball]].
* '''July 30 - August 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148949#p148949 discovers] a [[semi-natural]] [[methuselah]] lasting 128,719 generations, the longest lifespan known for an [[apgsearch]] [[soup]] excluding those which continue to grow infinitely after "going boring". Three days later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149071#p149071 a second one] is discovered lasting 132,364 generations.
* '''July 29''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148834#p148834 discovers] the smallest known period-92 oscillator, a 44-cell [[LCM oscillator]] consisting of a [[mold]] interacting with a previously-overlooked spark from a [[twin bees shuttle]] variant.
* '''July 25''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148702#p148702 discovers] a new stabilization of the [[p44 pi-heptomino hassler]] using only [[block]]s and [[eater 2]]s, while [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148703#p148703 finds] a period-sextupling mechanism that works with all versions of the oscillator.
* '''July 25''': [[Simon Ekström]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148650#p148650 discovers] a small, stable 180-degree glider [[reflector]].
* '''July 25''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148649#p148649 discovers] the [[p82 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|82}} [[oscillator]].
* '''July 24''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148590#p148590 discovers]  the [[speed tunnel]], a [[Spartan|non-Spartan]] [[Glider-to-Herschel converter|glider-to-Herschel conduit]] with a repeat time of 61 ticks, which makes it the fastest G-to-H conduit discovered to date.
* '''July 23''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148557#p148557 discovers] a new {{period|22}} [[century]] [[hassle]]r.
* '''July 15''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/997664404323709048 reveals himself] as the author of numerous randomly-generated [[glider syntheses]] covertly submitted to [[Catagolue]] over the last few months, most notably a 4-glider [[bipole]] and a 5-glider [[octagon II]].
* '''July 15''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148274#p148274 discovers] an 8-glider [[synthesis]] for [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_dbgzw1qm/b3s23 xs14_dbgzw1qm], which means that all strict 14-cell [[still life]]s can be synthesized with 9 or fewer gliders.
* '''July 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148244#p148244 discovers] a new glider-releasing H-to-R [[conduit]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses it to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148237#p148237 reduce] the size of the smallest known [[true]] period 59, 61, 67, and 77 [[gun]]s.
* '''July 11-14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148173#p148173 discover] [[43P54]], the smallest known period-54 oscillator. [[David Raucci]] and [[hotcrystal0]] then use this oscillator to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148236#p148236 reduce] the size of the smallest known period-54 [[gun]].
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147980#p147980 discover] a [[200P199|period-199 oscillator]] whose reduced form also functions as a [[pipsquirter]].
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147972#p147972 discover] a [[p146 pi-heptomino hassler]], which is later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147977#p147977 monomerized] by [[Evin]] and [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/994432762603905074 reduced] to have a minimum population of only 52 cells.
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147943#p147943 discovers] the first [[non-trivial]] period-34 oscillator, [[74P34]]. Using a resulting p34 beehive hassler by "MAP bot", [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147953#p147953 completes] a p34 [[bumper]] reflector.
* '''July 6''': Based on a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147886#p147886 partial result] by [[Hartmut Holzwart]], [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147929#p147929 completes] a width-12 [[chicken wire]] [[greyship]] with a slope-0 back end, filling in the final gap in the collection of slope-0 chicken wire back ends.
* '''July 5''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147909#p147909 discovers] a new period-83 oscillator, [[62P83]], and [[iNoMed]] uses two copies to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147908#p147908 construct] a small period-83 [[glider gun]].
* '''July 2-3''': [[yaochen2]] and [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147829#p147829 discover] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147834#p147834 various] [[switch engine]]-based [[methuselah]]s within a 16×16 bounding box, including one lasting 4,764,364 generations.
* '''July 2''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147819#p147819 discovers] [[74P127]], the highest prime-period oscillator not based on adjustable-period loops.
* '''June 30''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147745#p147745 discovers] [[Charity's p16]], a relatively small period-16 oscillator.
* '''June 29''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147675#p147675 discovers] a [[glider synthesis]] for [[29P3H1V0]], meaning that all known [[spaceship]]s with up to 31 cells have a known synthesis.
* '''June 26''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147576#p147576 discovers] the [[p58 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known period-58 oscillator. Dani uses this to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147579#p147579 construct] a [[gliderless]] p58 lightweight spaceship gun.
* '''June 24''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147511#p147511 discovers] [[58P37]], the smallest known period-37 oscillator and the first one that can be used to create a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147512#p147512 period-37 glider gun].
* '''June 20''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147341#p147341 reduces] the [[p4-assisted period-28 glider gun]], making it the fifth-smallest glider gun with a distinct period and leading to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147342#p147342 additional reductions] to the [[period-14 glider gun|pseudo-p14 glider gun]].
* '''June 14''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147102#p147102 discovers] a [[p10 domino fountain|strong period-10 domino sparker]].
* '''June 6''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146680#p146680 completes] a c/2 wire width 2 [[chicken wire]] [[grayship]] using a dense wave front by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''June 2''': [[Keith Amling]], [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[Hartmut Holzwart]] collaborate to complete a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146504#p146504 new greyship front edge], allowing for rectangular and trapezoidal [[greyship]]s that mix different widths of [[chicken wire]] with a minimum width of 13.
* '''May 28''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146196#p146196 discovers] [[meatball]], a small {{period|7}} [[spark]]-producing [[oscillator]] which can be used in place of [[38P7.2]] in certain [[glider gun]] constructions.
* '''May 27''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146111#p146111 completes another stage] of a 16G [[RCT]] implementation, moving the project gradually away from "<i>we know vaguely how it would work</i>" toward "<i>we know exactly how it works</i>".
* '''May 25-June 2''': [[Charity Engine]]'s continuing focus on non-C1 [[symmetry]] produces [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145987#p145987 several] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146482#p146482 more] new p9 and p6 oscillators.
* '''May 18''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145728#p145728 discovers] [[30P25]], the smallest known {{period|25}} [[oscillator]] by population.
* '''May 10''': [[mvr]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145411#p145411 discovers] a [[p84 honey farm hassler]] with only 42 cells, the smallest known period-84 oscillator by population.
* '''May 10''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145414#p145414 modification] of the CatForce search program by [[mvr]] allows for a significant speedup -- and also includes a symmetric search option that has very quickly started finding interesting new circuitry, such as a new [[Spartan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145440#p145440 version of a known pi-to-2G converter].
* '''May 10''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145359#p145359 posts] reductions to two different oscillators: the p12 [[crown]], and the [[p44 pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''May 2''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144986#p144986 constructs] [[quartermax]], a [[quadratic-growth]] pattern that fills one quarter of the plane (instead of a half or full plane, as in [[halfmax]] and [[max]].)
* '''May 2''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144982#p144982 discovers] a new period-46 [[glider gun]] that does not rely on previously known [[:Category:Oscillators with period 46|p46 oscillators]] or on [[adjustable glider loop]]s.
* '''April 28''': [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144828#p144828 discovers] a record-breaking smallest p12 [[backrake]] using "WSS_Test", the modified [[apgsearch]] program that also found [[35P12H6V0]] (the record-breaking smallest p12 spaceship from February).
* '''April 27''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144795#p144795 find] a "self-forcing" finite patch of period-2 [[agar]], and Oscar Cunningham stabilizes the patch to produce the first oscillator with a provably unsynthesizable [[rotor]].
* '''April 25''': [[Andrew Wade]] uses his life slice spaceship search program ([[LSSS]]) to find a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144727#p144727 new 151-cell 2c/7 spaceship], and May13 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144728#p144728 produces] a number of variations based on it and known 2c/7 components.
* '''April 21''': [[dani]], [[Oscar Cunningham]], [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144536#p144536 collaborate] to reduce the number of gliders needed for any glider construction (via an [[RCT]] synthesis) from 17 to 16.
* '''April 20''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3552&start=400#p144490 finds] a new [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/gun_114/b3s23 period-114 glider gun] engine using two [[pi-heptomino]]es and four period-6 [[sparker]]s.
* '''April 16''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144315#p144315 posts] an example pattern demonstrating the [[reverse caber-tosser]] mechanism by constructing a [[shillelagh]], along with a massive amount of debris, in approximately 5.23×10<sup>615</sup> generations.
* '''April 15''': [[Goldtiger997]] makes available a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144242#p144242 Python script] that can assemble a [[Speed Orthogonoid]] for any rational orthogonal velocity below c/2 (with the usual practical limitations due to system resources).
* '''April 12''': [[iNoMed]] and [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144139#p144139 assemble] a new-record smallest [[period-36 glider gun]] using just one engine (the previous record-holder used two).
* '''April 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144121#p144121 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] via [[apgsearch]] exhibiting [[infinite growth]] whose center takes 225,593,194 generations to stabilize, [[Methuselah#Infinite growth|a new record]].
* '''April 11-14''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144077#p144077 completes] a [[diehard]] with a size similar to previous efforts, that takes '''much''' longer to die out completely -- initially on the rough order of <sup>8</sup>121 ticks, the eighth [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetration tetration] of 121, and improved past <sup>12</sup>121 ticks in the next few days.
* '''April 7-10''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144045#p144045 constructs] a [[diehard]] fitting within a 10,000-cell bounding box while having an exponentially long lifespan using a [[sawtooth]] design. With optimizations by [[toroidalet]], [[Dean Hickerson]], and others, this pattern lasts for ~1.33616×10<sup>1443</sup> generations before disappearing.
* '''April 6''': [[Goldtiger997]]'s [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143872#p143872 wins] the [[Pattern of the Year]] competition for 2021.
* '''April 4''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143798#p143798 finds] a [[20-cell quadratic growth]] pattern, the current record holder for the smallest [[breeder]] in terms of population.
* '''April 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143703#p143703 discovers] a pair of [[44P5H2V0]]s via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|5}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly. [[iNoMed]] and [[Goldtiger997]] use this soup to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143704#p143704 reduce] the 44P5H2V0 [[glider synthesis]].
* '''April 1-8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143667#p143667 completes] two [[Speed Orthogonoid]] spaceships, which can be adjusted to travel arbitrarily close to the orthogonal speed limit of c/2, similar to the [[Speed Demonoid]]'s adjustability for diagonal speeds arbitrarily close to c/4.
* '''March 31''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5616 forum thread] dedicated to [[diehard]]s, including engineered ones, is created, leading to the publication of constructions by [[Dean Hickerson]] and [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] fitting within small bounding boxes but lasting for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143574#p143574 tens of thousands] (and even [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143605#p143605 hundreds of thousands]) of generations before disappearing completely.
* '''March 28''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143452#p143452 discovers] a c/2 orthogonal [[wickstretcher|stretcher]] for a stable wick.
* '''March 27''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143450#p143450 finds] a 6-[[glider]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] of a [[breeder]], breaking the previous record of [[Switch engine ping pong|7 gliders]].
* '''March 23-27''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143277#p143277 finds] a 23×15 predecessor to a [[breeder]], beating out [[Luka Okanishi]]'s recent 26×18 pattern for the title of the smallest quadratic growth predecessor by [[bounding box]]. A few days later, this predecessor is further reduced to 23×13.
* '''March 22-23''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143253#p143253 posts] a series of binary slow salvo recipes for the 17-glider [[reverse caber tosser]] that greatly simplify the problem of producing a complete proof-of-concept of RCT construction... not that it's all done yet!
* '''March 17''': New forum user 'Game of Life Fun' [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143050#p143050 assembles] the first [[gliderless]] [[Gosper glider gun]] [[puffer]].
* '''March 12-15''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142708#p142708 finds] a small [[c/12 diagonal]] [[breeder]] using a custom [[apgsearch]] symmetry, with a 26×18 predecessor [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142715#p142715 found] by [[Luka Okanishi]] and [[22-cell quadratic growth|a 22-cell predecessor]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142738#p142738 found] by [[David Raucci]] breaking the records for the smallest [[bounding box]] and [[population]], respectively, of a pattern exhibiting [[quadratic growth]]. Three days later, [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142905#p142905 finds] a [[21-cell quadratic growth|21-cell solution]] with a different breeder.
* '''March 11''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142667#p142667 announces] the official launch of the textbook ''[[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]]''.
* '''March 8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142538#p142538 posts] an SSGRL ([[self-synthesizing glide-reflecting loopship]]) with a design similar to last year's [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]].
* '''March 4''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142429#p142429 discovers] a pair of [[dart]]s via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|3}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''March 4''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142407#p142407 discovers] [[30P3]], a custom-built {{period|3}} [[sparker]] which can be used to construct a record-breaking 51-cell p48 oscillator when combined with [[Rob's p16]].
* '''March 1''': [[iNoMed]] and [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142297#p142297 discover] the first p30 gun that does not use the [[queen bee shuttle]].
* '''February 24''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142084#p142084 discovers] [[58P8H4V0]] via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|8}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''February 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142060#p142060 discovers] [[232P7H3V0]], the smallest known [[3c/7 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''February 21''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141951#p141951 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] which takes [[Die hard|2,474 generations to die out completely]], beating the previous "messless [[methuselah]]" record by over 400 ticks.
* '''February 16''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141729#p141729 discovers] the [[p23 honey farm hassler]], a smaller {{period|23}} [[oscillator]].
* '''February 15''': dani [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141656#p141656 discovers] a new [[period-30 glider gun]] that uses only a single [[queen bee shuttle]] based on a symmetric 4-[[barrel]]ed gun [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141655#p141655 discovered] by [[Charity Engine]].
* '''February 14''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141620#p141620 discovers] [[p4-assisted period-28 glider gun|a smaller p28 glider gun]], with a [[bounding box]] of only 37×24, which [[iNoMed]] uses to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141628#p141628 construct] a smaller [[period-14 glider gun|pseudo-p14 glider gun]].
* '''February 13''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141608#p141608 discovers] a smaller {{period|62}} [[glider gun]] based on a glider-releasing [[wick]].
* '''February 12''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141568#p141568 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] containing a [[bi-gun]], making it the second unique [[gun]] to have occurred [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''February 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141492#p141492 discovers] [[32P21]], the smallest known {{period|21}} [[oscillator]].
* '''February 10''': On Discord, "mystical" [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/941302038409674752 uses a modification of apgsearch] to find a period-12 spaceship, [[35P12H6V0]], with a minimum population four cells less than that of the [[Schick engine]], which had been the smallest known period-12 spaceship for about half a century.
* '''January 29''': [[David Raucci]] makes the [https://www.conwaylife.com/w/index.php?title=RLE:Period27glidergun&oldid=100000 100,000th edit] to LifeWiki.
* '''January 29''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140915#p140915 completes] a [[true]]-period [[period-27 glider gun]] based on a reaction found by [[goldenratio]].
* '''January 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140777#p140777 finds] a synthesis of another [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [[70P5H2V0]], based on a final step [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140650#p140650 completed on January 23rd].
* '''January 17''': [[goldenratio]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140411#p140411 discover] the [[p39 pi-heptomino hassler]], the first {{period|39}} [[oscillator]] not based on an [[LCM]] or glider loop mechanism.
* '''January 13''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140258#p140258 solve] the [[unique father problem]] in the positive, providing a 32×26 [[still life]] that cannot be constructed from scratch by any means.
* '''January 12''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140183#p140183 discovers] [[44P38]], the first {{period|38}} [[oscillator]].
* '''January 11''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140089#p140089 constructs] the first [[pseudo-period]] 16 and 17 [[LWSS]] and [[MWSS]] [[gun]]s. Period 16 is the minimum possible period for a MWSS gun.
* '''January 10''': [[James Pascua]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140094#p140094 reduces] the [[period-48 glider gun]] to a bounding box of 31×16 - beating [[Three quarters traffic light catalyst|period 46]] for the title of second-smallest known [[glider gun]]. As a corollary, the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140108#p140108 smallest known] period-96 [[oscillator]] now consists of a p48 gun with a [[boat-bit]].
* '''January 10''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140063#p140063 completes] a 74-glider synthesis of [[Orion 2]], making it the fifth [[c/4 diagonal]] spaceship (not including the glider!) with a known synthesis.
* '''January 6''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139854#p139854 solve] a generalized version of the [[grandfather problem]], proving that for every natural number n, there exists a pattern that has an n-tick predecessor but not an (n+1)-tick predecessor.
* '''January 4''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139761#p139761 further reduces] the [[p32 honey farm hassler]] to only 45 cells.
* '''January 3''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139701#p139701 discovers] a smaller [[p143 Bandersnatch loop]], using only relatively small [[still life]]s, and later [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139714#p139714 constructs] a 58-glider [[synthesis]] of it.

==2021==
* '''December 31''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] finds (and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139666#p139666 posts a few days later]) a 6x3 [[still-life]]-compatible region that can be extended into an infinite [[agar]] that has no predecessors other than itself.
* '''December 21''': [[goldenratio]], [[iNoMed]], and [[praosylen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139175#p139175 construct] a smaller [[period-48 glider gun]], with a bounding box of 35×16, the third-smallest of any known unique-period gun.
* '''December 19''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139044#p139044 completes] a small period-126 glider gun using a [[pi]]-[[hassle|hassling]] mechanism, based on contributions by [[David Raucci]], [[iNoMed]], and [[cvojan]].
* '''December 17''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138965#p138965 completes] a blueprint laid out by googleplex, to produce a [[QuickSilver Demonoid|QuickSilver self-constructing spaceship]] made with entirely 1990s-era technology such as [[Silver's reflector]]s (but definitely 21st-century design techniques).
* '''December 14–21''': [[cvojan]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138895#p138895 discovers] the [[traffic stop|three quarters traffic light catalyst]], resulting in [[hassler]]s of periods 36, 48, and 60. Later, cvojan [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139008#p139008 constructs] a smaller [[p76 pi-heptomino hassler]], with only 57 cells, using this hassling reaction as a [[catalyst]], while [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139147#p139147 constructs] a smaller [[period-46 glider gun]] with a [[bounding box]] of 37×15, the second-smallest of any known gun.
* '''December 11''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138670#p138670 assembles] a [[bouncer]] with repeat time 22 and period 11, a previously unknown period for bouncers (though it was known for [[bumper]]s).
* '''December 10''': [[FractalFusion]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138634#p138634 constructs] [[statorless]] [[oscillator]]s for all periods that are multiples of 33.
* '''November 29''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138191#p138191 completes] "DOGun SaGaQR", a "shapeshifting" pattern that can be adjusted to become a [[diehard]], high-period [[Volatility#Oscillators_with_volatility_1|volatility 1 oscillator]], 4-[[barrel]]led glider [[gun]], c/24 [[spaceship]], single [[glider]], or [[quadratic growth]] [[replicator]].
* '''November 28''': [[Luka Okanishi]] and [[Tanner Jacobi]] construct the first [[true-period]] [[glider gun]]s of periods [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138155#p138155 51] and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138157#p138157 49] respectively using [[hotcrystal0_reaction|a base reaction]] by [[wwei23]] and [[hotcrystal0]].
* '''November 23–24''': [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138057#p138057 complete] a period-20 partial found by [[David Raucci]] to construct a record-breaking [[period-20 glider gun]].
* '''November 20''': [[Dongook Lee]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137874#p137874 finds] [[62P7]], a new period-7 [[domino]] [[sparker]] that's more accessible than [[132P7]], stronger than [[hebdarole]], and '''much''' smaller than [[754P7]] (which itself can be reduced to 678 cells with this same discovery).
* '''November 18''': [[Dongook Lee]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137807#p137807 discovers] the first [[strictly volatile p4]] oscillator.
* '''November 17''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137788#p137788 discovers] several new [[Max]] predecessors using [[LogicLifeSearch]] including, among others, one with only 151 cells and another with a [[bounding box]] of only 25×21, making them the smallest known [[spacefiller]]s by these metrics.
* '''November 17''': [[May13]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137751#p137751 constructs] the first clean c/6 orthogonal [[rake]] using 8 copies of a dirty p1212 puffer, and [[iNoMed]] quickly [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137752#p137752 reduces] this to 4 copies.
* '''November 13''': Using the new [[weekender]] recipe, [[Goldtiger997]] and [[Dave Greene]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137616#p137616 complete] a glider-to-weekender converter less than a quarter of the size of the previous mechanism, with an option to produce [[doo-dah]] spaceships instead.
* '''November 13''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137600#p137600 assembles] a working [[elementary]] Herschel merge circuit.
* '''November 13''': With population optimization help from [[Entity Valkyrie]], [[Dongook Lee]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137595#p137595 finds] [[180P8]], a very high-[[clearance]] [[domino]] sparker that is a significant reduction to the previously known [[230P8]].
* '''November 10''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137484#p137484 announces] yet another size reduction for the [[period-144 glider gun]] using a [[transparent]]-[[blinker]] [[component]].
* '''October 22''': [[MathAndCode]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136897#p136897 discovers] a [[phase shift]] reaction for [[50P9]] with period 9n-1.
* '''October 21''': Various users [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136864#p136864 discover] new [[p3 pipsquirter]]s which can be used to support the [[carnival shuttle]].
* '''October 13''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136580#p136580 completes] a Python script capable of assembling the Nth [[Canada Grey]] [[greyship]] for N>2, at a cost of 84N<sup>2</sup> + 371.5N + 204 - 43.5*MOD(N,2) [[glider]]s.
* '''October 12''': [[83bismuth38]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136555#p136555 discovers] [[66P62]], the smallest known {{period|62}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 11''': [[Nicolas Loizeau]] ('Coban' on the forums) posts a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136626#p136536 new scalable programmable 8-bit computer] (and accompanying video).
* '''September 23''': The textbook ''[[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]]'' by [[Nathaniel Johnston]] and [[Dave Greene]] is opened up to beta readers, available as a PDF at https://conwaylife.com/book/. Feedback can be submitted in [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5418 this thread].
* '''September 19''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135872#p135872 finds] new record-breaking small 'pure nonfillers', one with 209 ON cells and one with a 33-by-27 bounding box.
* '''September 17''': [[Dongook Lee]] and others, in a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/888333616952770560 Discord discussion], improve the [[period-55 glider gun]] with new customized p5 sparkers, making it the second-smallest odd-period gun after the [[period-21 glider gun]] by minimum population, and the outright smallest by bounding box.
* '''September 16''': [[David Raucci]] completes a new and significantly smaller [[true]] period [[period-54 glider gun]], with improvements based on a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/888137152616083506 Discord collaboration].
* '''September 14''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135748#p135748 discovers] a smaller [[true-period]]-32 [[glider gun]] based on a new engine.
* '''September 9''': [[David Raucci]] and [[Aidan F. Pierce]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135635#p135635 discover] the [[p32 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known {{period|32}} [[oscillator]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses the underlying reaction to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135636#p135636 construct] the first [[true-period]]-32 [[glider gun]].
* '''August 29-September 6''': iNoMed and others, in a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/881531301772029973 Discord discussion], radically improve the glider synthesis of the [[weekender]] from 56 gliders down to only 33, and reducing the [[repeat time]] from 444 [[tick]]s to 347 for a related 35-glider version (for 33G it's 427 ticks, and for 34G it's 447 ticks), making it one of the few known [[spaceship]]s besides the [[*WSS]]es that cost less than one glider per bit to synthesize.
* '''August 24''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135235#p135235 constructs] a period-18 reflector capable of reflecting a period-18 glider stream based on an oscillator by [[David Raucci]].
* '''August 24''': [[Catagolue]] is updated to allow larger tabulations in the form of linked fragments, [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/420789213466853387/879876922014851152 enabling] among other things storage of all xs21s (still lifes consisting of 21 bits).
* '''August 23''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135199#p135199 constructs] a new period-45 glider [[gun]] based on a partial result by David Raucci.
* '''August 21''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135135#p135135 re-uses SMOS technology] to build a [[RRO|reflectorless rotating oscillator]] with loopability 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6; with minor adjustments it can reach loopability 7, 10, or 11 (but not 8, 9, or 12 or higher).
* '''August 2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=134389#p134389 constructs] the first explicit example of a [[SMOS|spaceship made of spaceships]] in Conway's Game of Life.
* '''August 1''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://discordapp.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/871483361435209748 constructs] the first [[true]]-period [[Period-21_glider_gun|period-21 gun]] using a new period-21 oscillator by [[David Raucci]].
* '''July 30''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=134269#p134269 constructs] a [[T-nosed p7]] using a reaction from 2016.
* '''July 25''': [[Goldtiger997]] published the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=134059#p134059 detailed recipes] needed to synthesize an infinite family of increasingly larger greyships.
* '''July 12''': [[James Pascua]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133473#p133473 discover] [[90P51]], a two-cell reduction to the smallest known non-trivial p51 oscillator.
* '''July 9''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133286#p133286 discovers] an 83-cell variant of the [[p25 pre-pulsar shuttle]], making it the smallest known period-25 [[oscillator]].
* '''July 6''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133141#p133141 discovers] a new glider gun engine with [[period-117 glider gun|period 117]].
* '''July 1''': [[Martin Grant]] and Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=132872#p132872 complete] the synthesis of the [[greyship]] from June 20th in 753 gliders.
* '''June 20''': Goldtiger997 [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=132334#p132334 completes] the final step of a [[greyship]] [[glider synthesis]].
* '''June 18''': Adam P. Goucher [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/85543598338631273434 adds] to [[Catagolue]] the ability to recognize glider guns with up to four-digit periods, which can now be submitted to the collection via the nonmagical box at the bottom of the "Syntheses" page.
* '''May 17''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130340#p130340 constructs] a new [[period-20 glider gun]] based on a period-20 oscillator by [[wwei23]] and [[David Raucci]].
* '''May 14-21''': Frank Everdij discovers [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130230#p130230 two] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130622#p130622 new] elementary [[c/6 diagonal]] spaceships using [[ikpx2]].
* '''May 9''': Adam P. Goucher [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129942#p129942 constructs] period-12 knightpuffer and knightrake technology using variants of the new [[sprayer]] [[knightship]]; this is quickly followed by other puffer and rake periods such as a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129945#p129945 p48 mechanism] by cvojan.
* '''May 9''': After a three-month, 16-thread [[ikpx2]] search, Adam P. Goucher [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129937#p129937 finds] a completion for a second [[elementary]] [[knightship]] front end found by [[Dylan Chen]], which is known as the [[sprayer]] due to a huge accessible side spark at the front.
* '''April 13 - June 30''': [[David Raucci]] discovers many previously unseen oscillators, glider gun mechanisms, etc., including [[Raucci's p74]], using a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130212#p130212 new search script] that finds spark support for hassling common active objects in various symmetries.
* ''' April 11''': David Raucci [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128061#p128061 finds] a new [[p76 pi-heptomino hassler]] oscillator, which is quickly [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128083#p128083 reduced to a monomer form] by JP21, A for awesome, and [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* ''' April 10-14''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128012#p128012 completes] a 152-glider synthesis of a third c/4 orthogonal spaceship, [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_y2oo7t0t7ooz2qgx8t2rgr2t8xgq2z122166y5661221/b3s23 61P4H1V0.1]; within four days this was reduced to an [http://catagolue.appspot.com/object?apgcode=xq4_y2oo7t0t7ooz2qgx8t2rgr2t8xgq2z122166y5661221&rule=b3s23 89-glider synthesis].
* ''' March 19''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=126154#p126154 discovers] a new [[weekender]] tagalong.
* ''' March 18''': Results for the 2020 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition include a tie for first place between the [[Bandersnatch]] and the [[Speed Demonoid]].
* ''' March 17''': A small synthesis efficiency improvement project, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=125927#p125927 12-in-7] (12-bit still lifes constructed with 7 gliders or less) is completed, with 13 expensive syntheses reduced to below the target cost in less than a week.
* ''' March 17''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5066 Pattern of the Year voting], on a record-breaking thirty-nine entries for 2020, will close on March 17th.
* '''March 12''': The 20-bit [[still life]] [[glider synthesis]] [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/xs20 project] is [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=125259#p125259 completed].
* '''March 7-8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=124810#p124810 completes] a 215-glider recipe for [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_2534uof1u0u1fou4352zy087084048078zx3igi3x3igi3/b3s23 72P4H1V0], the second c/4 orthogonal spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''February 10-11''': [[Chris Rowett]] uses [[ikpx2]] to discover several new moving objects, including a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=122299#p122299 p120 2c/5 puffer] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=122454#p122454 c/5 diagonal tubstretcher, tagalong, and spaceship].
* '''February 4-11''': [[Tanner Jacobi]], EvinZL, [[Louis-François Handfield]] and [[Sphenocorona]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121723#p121723 find] new Herschel-to-glider [[converter]]s and variants of existing H-to-Gs: NW26T157b, NE30T17_NE1T22, NW10T137, SW-18T136 and a [[Spartan]] SE16T36b.
* '''January 11-March 8''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121698#p121698 completes] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121889#p121889 several] new [[chicken wire]] [[greyship]]s with different widths of chicken wire, with specific examples constructed for widths 2 through 12 among others.
* '''January 25''': [[Catagolue]]'s [[B3/S23]]/[[C1]] census [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/C1-2021-01-25 reaches] a total of one quadrillion objects.
* '''January 24''': [[goldenratio]] and [[bubblegum]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=120269#p120269 construct] a [[glider synthesis]] for [[edge-repair spaceship 1]].
* '''January 17''': [[wwei23]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119411#p119411 discovers] [[1320P7]], a large but high-clearance {{period|7}} [[sparker]] [[oscillator]].
* '''January 16''': [[Dylan Chen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119406#p119406 discovers] [[52513M]], the new longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] within a 16×16 [[bounding box]], just a week after the discovery of 50093M.
* '''January 16''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=119342#p119342 completes] a [[2c/5 orthogonal|2c/5]] [[waveguide]] for an oblique line of [[ants]] based on a partial result by [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* '''January 10''': [[Alex Greason]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118703#p118703 makes available] a fresh set of transfer.py results. Fewer than 535 20-bit still lifes have no known glider synthesis, and 135 of these have soups available on [[Catagolue]] to assist with synthesis.
* '''January 10''': [[Dylan Chen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118727#p118727 discovers] another new [[3c/7]] spaceship, using [[Andrew J. Wade]]'s December update to [[LSSS]]. This is the first small 3c/7 spaceship with [[gutter symmetry]].
* '''January 9''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118690#p118690 discovers] [[50093M]], the longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] within a 16×16 [[bounding box]], using [[apgsearch]].
* '''January 5''': [[Bullet51]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118256#p118256 uses ikpx2 to find] a third [[elementary]] [[c/6 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''January 5''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118240#p118240 discovers] a new variant of a known [[H-to-G]] [[conduit]], NE16T14, with likely applications as a [[reflector]] and merge circuit in [[single-channel]] self-constructing circuitry.
* '''January 5''': [[Sphenocorona]] and [[Luka Okanishi]] assemble a new elementary conduit, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118100#p118100 HF96P], which allows for the creation of several new Herschel-to-glider [[converter]]s.
* '''January 2-3''': bubblegum [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=117681#p117681 discovers] a new 3c/7 orthogonal [[Puffer#Puffer_engine|puffer engine]], allowing [[Matthias Merzenich]] and iNoMed to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=117798#p117798 construct] the first clean 3c/7 [[rake]].

==2020==
* '''December 28-31''': [[Dylan Chen]] discovers [[Anura]] ([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=117159#p117159]) and [[Soba]] ([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=117548#p117548]), the two smallest known [[3c/7 orthogonal]] spaceships, as stabilizations of the same frontend, and also a much smaller front end for the [[spaghetti monster]] on January 4.([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=118021#p118021])
* '''December 28''': ''The New York Times'' [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/science/math-conway-game-of-life.html publishes an article] reflecting on 50 years of Conway's Game of Life.
* '''December 20''': A [[Bellman]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=116491#p116491 search] by [[Tanner Jacobi]] turns up a new [[stable]] [[catalyst]] that can reset a [[beehive]] that has been pushed over by one cell by a collision.
* '''December 17''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] discovers [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/789169624842371122 a p61 pattern] that moves one cell per cycle, and can be supported by single-bit sparks, glider streams, or additional copies of the pattern on each side.
* '''December 15''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=115869#p115869 constructs] the first [[Gun#True-period_guns|true]] [[period-28 glider gun]].
* '''December 6''': John Winston Garth [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114481#p114481 discovers] [[doo-dah]], a new small period-21 [[tagalong]] for the [[weekender]], which can be used to create various [[2c/7 orthogonal]] [[puffer]]s and [[rake]]s.
* '''December 5''': [[User_talk:MathAndCode|MathAndCode]] and [[User:yujh|yujh]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114356#p114356 discover] 'NW26T157', a new [[Spartan]] conduit that converts a Herschel into three gliders, similar to [[NW31]] but with one glider on an output [[lane]] of a different [[color]].
* '''December 3-4''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114036#p114036 finds] a final step for a [[turtle]] [[synthesis]], followed by a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114209#p114209 complete 241-glider synthesis] the next day.
* '''November 24''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=112239#p112239 completes] a [[barge crosser]], a mechanism which allows a glider signal to cross an arbitrarily long barge without causing permanent damage.
* '''November 18''': [[Goldtiger997]] finds [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=111260#p111260 glider recipes] that can convert M2 [[minstrel]]s into M3 minstrels and vice versa.
* '''November 15''': [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=110875#p110875 discovers] a new [[sparker]], a period-9 version of a [[heavyweight emulator]].
* '''October 30''': [[Golly]] 4.0 is [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=108478#p108478 officially released].
* '''October 16''': [[Andrew Trevorrow]] makes available the first beta builds for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=106785#p106785 Golly 4.0], supporting Python 3.x and new rule types and neighborhoods, and enabling multi-color "Super" and "History" support for a wide range of two-state rules.
* '''September 27''': A [[burloaferimeter]] variant [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=105040#p105040 appears] in an asymmetric [[soup]] found by [[Rob Liston]], making it the first natural {{period|7}} oscillator.
* '''September 26''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104930#p104930 completes] [[Speed Demonoid]] version 2, removing the 2c/9 limitation; a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=105167#p105167 Golly script] can now build a spaceship with any rational diagonal speed below c/4 (subject to some practical size limitations).
* '''September 19''': [[MathAndCode]] and [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104484#p104484 construct] a 17-glider [[reverse caber-tosser]], proving that all [[synthesizable]] patterns can be made with no more than 17 gliders and that all synthesizable [[still life]]s can be constructed with no more than one glider per [[bit]].
* '''September 19''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104453#p104453 synthesizes] [[55P9H3V0]], the first period-9 spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''September 18''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104423#p104423 constructs] a complete [[Speed Demonoid]], using double [[crabstretcher]]s to accelerate a [[self-constructing]] [[spaceship]] to 3492022/17833792=1746011/8916896 ≈ 0.1958c, very close to c/5. The new spaceship can be adjusted to match any rational speed slower than 2c/9.
* '''September 15''': [[wwei23]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104102#p104102 discovers] several new 3-engine Corderships, including one that cleans up its trailing blocks with sideways gliders, similar to a 5-, 6-, or [[7-in-a-row Cordership]].
* '''September 9-17''': [[wwei23]] assembles a new type of period-192 [[4-in-a-row Cordership]], and later constructs [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104307#p104307 glider-to-Cordership] and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104367#p104367 Cordership-to-glider] [[converter]]s for it.
* '''August 29''': [[User:Goldtiger997|Goldtiger997]] completes a [[synthesis]] of the first known [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [[44P5H2V0]], almost thirty years after its discovery; this is the third completed synthesis for a 2c/5 spaceship.
* '''August 23''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] adds to [[slmake]] a fast elbow push recipe created by [[Pavel Grankovskiy]], based on a [[c/4]] diagonal [[crab]] [[wickstretcher]]. This means that [[recipe]]s for self-constructing structures with a not-quite-attainable limit speed of c/4 can now be semi-automatically compiled.
* '''August 16''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102367#p102367 discovers] a 14-glider recipe for a [[crab]] spaceship, down from the previous cost of 16, which can be used to reduce the size and construction cost of a wickstretcher [[seed]].
* '''August 14''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102387#p102387 finds] via [[apgsearch]] a third natural [[loafer]] emerging from asymmetric [[soup]].
* '''August 10''': Syntheses of a variety of [[pufferfish spaceship]]s make their way to [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/xq36 Catagolue], thanks to an extension of the time required in online recipe submissions for all gliders to react.
* '''August 2-18''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=101555#p101555 completes] and later [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102465#p102465 improves] a [[1G seed]] for a c/4 diagonal [[wickstretcher]], enabling [[self-constructing]] spaceships with the fastest possible diagonal speed of (just below) [[c/4]].
* '''July 29''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=101323#p101323 constructs] a fast diagonal [[Demonoid]] puffer with velocity (4825784,4825784)c/45679544.
* '''July 21''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=100871#p100871 reduces] the cost of the [[reverse caber-tosser]] constructor to 32 gliders.
* '''July 20''': [[A for awesome]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100822#p100822 completes] a new stable [[L122]] Herschel conduit, based on a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100724#p100724 P2 periodic variant] by [[User:Entity Valkyrie 2|Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''July 18''': A [[glider synthesis]] of [[70P2H1V0.1]] is [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq2_jimmgozmgmkqa323ms8zq2qamkgggqe4ziiqq26101z1/b3s23 posted to Catagolue] by [[Martin Grant]], making 70P2H1V0.1 the first period-2 spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''July 7''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100181#p100181 completes] a record-breaking [[seed]] [[constellation]] that, when triggered by a single gliders, turn into a clean 100-glider recipe for a c/5 spaceship, [[58P5H1V1]]. This potentially improves the unreachable upper bound on Demonoid speed from c/12 to c/5.
* '''July 1''': A [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99834#p99834 collaborative effort] results in a series of HWSS Heisenburp circuits much smaller than the previous best known devices. Recovery time is under 1400 ticks. Some versions can also detect [[flotilla]]s with an HWSS along one edge.
* '''June 20-30''': Several new signal converter circuits are constructed, including [[Luka Okanishi]]'s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99516#p99516 242-tick 30P5H2V0-to-G] and [[Goldtiger997]]'s 290-tick [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99516#p99196 HWSS-to-G]. Many others are catalogued [[User:Goldtiger997/Spaceship_Stable_Circuitry|here]].
* '''June 6-30''': [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99834#p99834 JP21's] and then [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99833&#p99833 Jeremy Tan's] eater collections spark new interest, and eaters are found for several previously inedible spaceships such as [[dragon]], [[Canada goose]], and [[brain]].
* '''June 8''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=98622#p98622 collaborative effort] produces a fully universal *WSS-to-glider [[converter]] that recovers in only 588 ticks, and works even if moved by an odd number of cells along the input [[lane]].
* '''June 7''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=98586#p98586 completes] an adjustable-width [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]] using components by [[Keith Amling]] and [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''June 5''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] completes a mechanism suggested by [[Martin Grant]] to make a [[Bandersnatch]], a [[glider-constructible]] [[color-changing]] glider shifter with a recovery time of only 70 ticks.
* '''May 25''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] and [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=97701#p97701 find] improved [[highway robber]]s with better [[clearance]] and 876- and 873-tick [[recovery time]]s.
* '''May 22''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=97489#p97489 constructs] a [[gun]] for [[58P5H1V1]], the first gun to produce a [[c/5 diagonal]] spaceship.
* '''May 9''': The [[silverfish]], a self-supporting 31c/240 [[caterpillar]]-type spaceship designed using the [[slow salvo]] recipe from the [[Centipede]] but a simpler front end, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96462#p96462 is completed].
* '''May 6''': [[Goldtiger997]] solves the problem of glider-constructing all [[Still_life#Pseudo_still_lifes|pseudo still life]]s consisting of [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96210#p96210 4×N chunks] of blocks [[agar]].
* '''May 3-4''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] adapts [[Martin Grant]]'s new [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=95988#p95988 HL161H conduit] to make a new compact [[color-changing]] [[edge shooter]], [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96093#p96093 HSW47T214].
* '''Apr. 21''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=95336#p95336 discovers] [[49768M]], the longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] fitting within a 16×16 [[bounding box]].
* '''Apr. 11''': [[John Horton Conway]], the inventor of [[Conway's Game of Life]], dies in Princeton, NJ at the age of 82.
* '''Apr. 8''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93647#p93647 constructs] a much faster and more compact [[universal regulator]].
* '''Apr. 3''': [[Goldtiger997]], [[Tanner Jacobi]], and others [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93167#p93167 complete] the [[glider synthesis]] for [[58P5H1V1]], the first synthesis for a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''Apr. 1''': A [[loafer]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93011#p93011 appears] for the first time in an [[asymmetric]] [[soup]], submitted to [[Catagolue]] by [[John Goodman]]. Coincidentally, this occurred exactly two years after [[Dave Greene]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=58727#p58727 posted] a fake soup for April Fools' Day 2018.
* '''Mar. 25''': [[Martin Grant]] and others [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=92323#p92323 complete] the [[glider synthesis]] for [[56P6H1V0]], the first synthesis for a [[c/6 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]] and the first for a {{periodS|6}} [[spaceship]].
* '''Mar. 22''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] uses [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search] to find [[186P7H2V0]], a third [[2c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship, part of an infinite family based on a known 2c/7 [[wave]].
* '''Mar. 22''': [[Goldtiger997]] completes the activation stage for a recipe for [[56P6H1V0]], which along with the [[spider]] and [[weekender]] is now one of the largest [[elementary]] spaceships for which a [[glider synthesis]] can (presumably) be completed.
* '''Mar. 17''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=91518#p91518 discovers] [[409P6H1V0]], the narrowest known [[c/6 orthogonal]] spaceship, using [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search].
* '''Mar. 9''': [[Richard K. Guy]], discoverer of the [[glider]], [https://aperiodical.com/2020/03/richard-k-guy-1916-2020/ passes away] at the age of 103.
* '''Feb. 9''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=89261#p89261 discovers] a new p16 oscillator, [[Rob's p16]], using [[apgsearch]]. It is the smallest known p16 by both [[population]] and [[bounding box]], the first p16 to appear from an asymmetric [[soup]], the first [[strictly volatile]] p16, and the first new [[rotor]] to be discovered by asymmetric soup search since the 1980s.
* '''Feb. 8''': All 19-bit [[still life]]s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=89061#p89061 are confirmed] to have valid [[glider syntheses]].
* '''Jan. 26''': [[Dave Greene]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4279 creates] LifeSuper, an extended version of [[LifeHistory]] for advanced pattern annotation.
* '''Jan. 26''': Entity Valkyrie [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=88186#p88186 constructs] a period-11040 [[spider]] [[gun]], the first gun to fire a [[c/5 orthogonal]] spaceship.
* '''Jan. 13''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] sets up a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4260 new "manually distributed" search] (table [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/User:Sokwe/C/8-width-19 here]), to find out whether a symmetric c/8 spaceship exists at width 19.
* '''Jan. 9''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] completes a long-running enumeration of [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=87225#p87225 34-bit still lifes], finding 35,422,864,104 strict still lifes with 34 bits, and 41,058,173,683 pseudo still lifes with the same bit count, including 26 [[triple pseudo still life]]s.
* '''Jan. 5''': A Rules namespace update on the LifeWiki allows [[LifeViewer]] to display in-browser many patterns using rule tables and trees, which previously couldn't be simulated without copying them into Golly.

==2019==
* '''Dec. 30''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] uses his search program, [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search], to find the second elementary 2c/7 spaceship, [[scholar]].
* '''Dec. 29''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=86668#p86668 synthesises] a variant of [[David Hilbert]].
* '''Dec. 28''': [[Martin Grant]] finds a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=86644#p86644 counterexample] to a 22-year old conjecture by [[Dean Hickerson]] about still-life finitization.
* '''Dec. 25''': Pavgran assembles [[Slavic]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=86540#p86540], a quadratic-growth pattern similar to [[Hydra]] that doesn't need a central gun.
* '''Dec. 9''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=86121#p86121 reduces] the cost of the [[spider]] synthesis by over 100 gliders.
* '''Dec. 1''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85900#p85900 discovers] a new period-49 oscillator based on a partial result by [[Jason Summers]].
* '''Nov. 24''': Luka Okanishi [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85719#p85719 discovers] a [[David Hilbert|period-23 oscillator]], leaving [[Omniperiodic|only four periods]] for which no non-trivial oscillator is known.
* '''Nov. 20''': [[Dongook Lee]] finds a [[p7 pipsquirter]] that is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85532#p85532 significantly smaller] than the old [[p7 pipsquirter]], leading to bounding-box reductions in the gun collection and various oscillators.
* '''Nov. 18''': [[Tanner Jacobi]], Goldtiger997 and others find improved recipes for a number of difficult-to-synthesize still lifes, reducing the maximum cost for 16-bit still lifes to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85457#p85457 14 gliders].
* '''Nov. 17''': Michael Simkin uses [[pi calculator]] and [[Osqrtlogt]] technology to build a Life pattern that prints the song [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85414#p85414 "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall"].
* '''Nov. 12''': Bullet51 and Aidan F. Pierce discover [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85245#p85245 new] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85246#p85246 sparky] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85249#p85249 period-13 oscillators].
* '''Nov. 4''': [[Alex Greason]], [[Arie Paap]], BlinkerSpawn, and [[Dongook Lee]] collaborate on the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84877#p84877 discovery of phoenix agar oscillators] on different-sized tori, which can [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84994#p84994 reproduce the behavior of XOR oscillators] in other rules (see [https://oeis.org/A160657 OEIS A160657]).
* '''Oct. 28''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=84593#p84593 finds] a 64-glider [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for the [[27P4H1V1]] spaceship (later reduced to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=85966#p85966 31 gliders]).
* '''Oct. 22''': Goldtiger997 [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84423#p84423 constructs] a p612 [[gun]] for the [[46P4H1V0]] spaceship.
* '''Oct. 9''': All 18-bit [[still life]]s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=83979#p83979 are confirmed] to have valid [[glider syntheses]].
* '''Sep. 9''': The 17-in-17 Project [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=82560#p82560 is completed], showing that every 17-bit [[still life]] can be [[glider synthesis|constructed]] using at most 16 [[glider]]s.
* '''Aug. 15''': Update to a previous news item from 21 April 2019 (see archive): all 15-bit [[still life]]s can [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=81277#p81277 now be constructed] with at most 12 [[glider]]s.
* '''July 16''': [[Dave Greene]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=79686#p79686 constructs] a [[large prime oscillator]] with a period equal to the largest Mersenne prime currently known, 2<sup>82589933</sup>-1.
* '''June 19''': A [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=78036&#p78036 huge long-term collaborative effort] is completed, showing that all glider-constructible [[still life]]s can (at least in theory) be constructed using less than two [[glider]]s per [[bit]].
* '''June 2''': Goldtiger997 completes a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=77029#p77029 glider-to-25P3H1V0.2 converter], based on [[Martin Grant]]'s [[25P3H1V0.2]] synthesis from 2017.
* '''May 29''': Thomas Cabaret makes available a [https://cp4space.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/self-replicator-caught-on-video/ Passe-Science video] featuring [[self-constructing]] CA patterns, including several minutes showing details of the [[0E0P metacell]].
* '''May 25''': Goldtiger997 completes a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76686#p76686 glider-to-crab converter], with the help of a script implementing a universal glider synchronization [[toolkit]].
* '''May 24-30''': christoph.r posts several [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76645#p76645 unusual breeder designs] based on c/10 technology, including [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76901#p76901 some variants] on a [[pufferfish]] [[breeder]].
* '''May 9''': GilGil makes available a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76571#p76571 huge but elegant 60-line printer] traveling at c/10, based on fleets of [[fireship]]s.
* '''Apr. 21''': [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75278#p75278 Improvements to glider syntheses] mean that every 15-bit still life has a recipe with at most 13 gliders. For current maximum costs, see the table in [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Glider_synthesis#Still_life_syntheses Still-life syntheses].
* '''Apr. 17''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] set several new bounding-box records with a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75185#p75185 new glider gun mechanism] based on filtered MWSSes.
* '''Apr. 14''': [[Michael Simkin]] completes a [[self-constructing]] puffer pattern which he calls [[Remini]] ("retro Gemini"), using a single-channel design with nothing but 1970s circuit mechanisms.
* '''Apr. 10''': [[Jeremy Tan]] releases a new glider recipe database, [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74753#p74753 Shinjuku], specifically for tracking lowest-cost syntheses.
* '''Apr. 6-7''': [[LifeViewer]] standardizes support for [[triangular neighbourhood]]s starting with Build 320.
* '''Apr. 5''': An exhaustive computer search run by [[Nathaniel Johnston]] reveals that there are 14,223,867,298 strict and 15,851,861,075 pseudo [[:Category:Still lifes with 33 cells|33-bit]] [[still life]]s, including eleven pseudo still lifes that can be partitioned into [[Triple pseudo still life|three stable pieces but not two]], and none that can be partitioned into [[Quad pseudo still life|four stable pieces but not two or three]].[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74524#p74524]
* '''Mar. 27''': The last remaining [[:Category:Strict still lifes with 14 cells|14-bit]] [[still life]], [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_4ai3zwo9a4/b3s23 xs14_4ai3zwo9a4], appears in a [[symmetry|C1]] [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]], in a haul submitted by an anonymous user.[http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74007#p74007]
* '''Mar. 24''': [[apgsearch]] v5.03 gains the ability to log 'megasized' [[soup]]s with final [[population]]s exceeding 3,000.[https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/apgmera/commit/2133cb40147cbb7b70f1a5fb4709f8f3b2feb6f7] [[Apgsearch#Version_5.x|apgsearch 5.x]] can also pre-process asymmetric C1 B3/S23 soups on GPUs with CUDA support.[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=73557#p73557]
* '''Mar. 7''': A [[spider]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] using 574 [[glider]]s and 9 [[LWSS]]es is found by [[Martin Grant]]. [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=72705#p72705]
* '''Mar. 3''': A [[figure eight on pentadecathlon|period-120 oscillator]], the highest period thus far, occurs from a natural [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]].
* '''Mar. 2''': Several symmetric-soup [[diehard]]s with [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/messless_15h/b3s23 lifespans over 1500 ticks] are found by 'carybe', using [[apgsearch]].
* '''Feb. 12''': A [[lightweight Schick engine]] appears from a natural (C1) [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]].
* '''Feb. 9''': A [[47575M|47,575-tick 16x16 methuselah]] found by Adam Goucher via [[apgsearch]] yields a 16-cell, 47,487-tick methuselah. This discovery skips over several empty 1000-tick bins in [[Catagolue]] above the previous record 16x16 methuselah, [[Homer]].
* '''Feb. 4''': A glider detection and removal upgrade in [[apgsearch]] version 4.91 gives a search speed boost of well over 50% compared to version 4.88.
* '''Feb. 4''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] and [[Martin Grant]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=69591#p69591 find a recipe], subsequently reduced to 88 gliders, for the first-ever synthesizable [[c/4]] spaceship, [[46P4H1V0]].
* '''Jan. 21 - Feb. 1''': Additional (2,1)c/6 [[minstrel]]s and spaceship connections are found, bringing the number of combinations of elementary minstrels into double digits.
* '''Jan. 25''': the ''[[Pattern of the Year#2018|Pattern of the Year 2018]]'' competition concludes, with [[Sir Robin]] taking first place.
* '''Jan. 25''': [[LifeViewer]] [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68595#p68595 build 282] goes live on the LifeWiki and forums, with several enhancements including new labeling functionality.
* '''Jan. 20''': [[Catagolue]] collects a record-setting longest-lived asymmetrical 16x16 [[diehard]], with a lifespan of 1058 ticks.
* '''Jan. 17''': A new period-8 domino sparker, [[230P8]], is [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68099p68099 discovered by Arie Paap] and [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68104#p68104 reduced by 'Bullet51'].
* '''Jan 16-18''': Four new [[minstrel]]s are found, plus a lucky connection of an existing minstrel to [[knightwave]], creating for the first time a [[grammar]] that allows for an infinite number of distinct [[elementary]] [[knightship]]s.
* '''Jan 10''': A new period-24 oscillator, [[dueling banjos]], turns up in an [[apgsearch]] soup search. Uses so far include a smaller [[period-24 glider gun]], with associated improvements to p16 and p48 glider guns and a p48 LWSS gun.
* '''Jan 3-7''': Record-setting [[diehard]]s are found by [[Rob Liston]] and [[Apple Bottom]] via [[apgsearch]].

==2018==
* '''Dec 7''': A new oblique [[camelship]], much smaller and lower population than the [[Spaceship#Adjustable_spaceships|Gemini 3 variant]] from 2010, is completed by Chris Cain.
* '''Dec 2''': The value of V, the lowest number for which an oscillator can be constructed with strict [[volatility]] 1 for that or any higher period, is reduced to [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=66138#p66138 3,506,909 ticks].
* '''Nov 30''': Adam P. Goucher sets another new record using the latest apgsearch by finding "Homer", a [[42883M|16x16 methuselah with a lifespan of 42883 ticks]].
* '''Nov 28''': An update to [[slsparse]] allows it to recognize [[45-degree MWSS-to-G]] converters in any orientation, and use unidirectional [[slow salvo]] recipes to construct them.
* '''Nov 18''': Entity Valkyrie discovers a new period-13 [[FNG]] suppression mechanism, allowing the [[true]] [[period-52 glider gun]] to be reduced to less than a seventh of its previous size.
* '''Nov 12''': A working [[0E0P metacell]] is announced by [[Adam P. Goucher]], along with [https://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2018/11/new-tools-for-self-construction.html several improvements] to [[slmake]], the program used to compile the metacell.
* '''Oct 31''': An update to [[apgsearch]] sets another new record by finding a [[42100M|16x16 methuselah]] with a lifespan of 42,100 ticks.
* '''Oct 31''': A self-constructing "loopship", a new type of spaceship with a non-[[Geminoid]] design, is completed by [[Dave Greene]].
* '''Oct 30''': A [[periodic]] (p5 or p4) [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=65290#p65198 quinti-Snark] is constructed by Tanner Jacobi, with the usual implications for reductions to the glider gun collection.
* '''Oct 29''': [[apgluxe]] v4.56-[[lifelib|ll]]2.0.5 and [[Catagolue]] add support for [[BSFKL]] rules.
* '''Oct 28''': A record-setting 39,693-tick methuselah, [[Wilma]], is discovered by [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=65124#p65124 Rob Liston] using a custom FPGA [[soup]] searcher.
* '''Oct 27''': An [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=65112#p65111 new LWSS synthesis] by [[Chris Cain]] allows for [[LWSS]], [[MWSS]], and [[HWSS]] guns with [[pseudo]] [[period]]s as low as 18. 18 is the minimum for HWSS streams.)
* '''Oct 21''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] completes a [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64968#p64968 two-dimensionally extensible wick-supporting pushalong] with a minimum width of over a thousand cells.
* '''Oct 21''': New [[Orthogonoid]]s with periods 2<sup>27</sup> and 2<sup>28</sup> are [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64949#p64949 constructed] by [[Dave Greene]], followed by a 2<sup>25</sup> version by [[Adam P. Goucher]].
* '''Oct 12''': A new [[:Category:Oscillators with period 14|period-14]] [[oscillator]], [[34P14.1]], is found by 'carybe'.
* '''Oct 11''': Christoph R. [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64623#p64623 discovers] a [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64627#p64627 new Fireship tagalong].
* '''Oct 10''': [[Dave Greene]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64590#p64590 completes the construction] of two new [[HashLife]]-friendly [[Demonoid]]s.
* '''Oct 07''': [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64619#p64489 A complex 140-glider synthesis] of a c/2 signal traveling along a diagonal long<sup>N</sup> barge [[wire]] is completed by Martin Grant.
* '''Oct 03''': A [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64315#p64315 p4 [[bouncer]] reflector] is constructed by Arie Paap. With the p9 reflector, this completes the set of [[colour-changing]] and [[colour-preserving]] reflectors with periods from 4 to 9.
* '''Oct 02''': A p9 reflector is discovered [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1452&start=1750#p64309 by Matthias Merzenich and "carybe"] based on Noam Elkies' [[bouncer]] reaction. This is the first reflector capable of reflecting a p27 glider stream.
* '''Oct 02''': A [[true]] p33 gun is discovered [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3552&p=64281#p64266 by Arie Paap and Matthias Merzenich].
* '''Sep 27''': A [[true]] [[p52 gun]] is [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64084#p64084 completed by a collaborative effort].
* '''Sep 9''': [[Dave Greene]] completes the construction of a stable [[line crosser]] with a [[repeat time]] of 501 ticks.
* '''Jul 15/19''': The [[Minstrel]]s, a group of [[tagalong]]s for [[Sir Robin]], are discovered.
* '''Jun 14''': The [https://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-meaning-of-life-is-42-but-cost-of.html construction] of a [[reverse caber-tosser]] shows that any [[glider synthesis|glider-constructible]] object can be constructed with at most 35 [[glider]]s.
* '''Apr 04''': A [[p3 bumper|p3 reflector]] is discovered by Arie Paap based on Tanner Jacobi's [[bumper]] reaction. This is the first reflector capable of reflecting a p39 glider stream.
* '''Mar 06''': [[Sir Robin]], the first [[elementary]] [[knightship]] in [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]], is discovered by [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Tomas Rokicki|Tom Rokicki]].
* '''Feb 19''': The [[2-engine Cordership]] wins the 2017 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition, with [[Tanner's p46]] taking second place.

==2009==
{{LifeWiki:News/600 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/500 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/400 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/300 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/200 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/LifeWiki goes live}}

==Also see==
* [[LifeWiki:Did you know archive]]

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-12T14:29:25Z

Dvgrn: Add 37P3H1V0 synth news, move first half of May to archive

Walrus

2026-06-11T02:09:57Z

Dvgrn: show half-infinite wave supported by walrus partial

{{Spaceship
|name = Walrus
|pname = walrus
|c = 68
|bx = 21
|by = 20
|dir = Diagonal
|p = 8
|m = 4
|s = c/8
|z = c/8
|h = 72.5
|symmetry = n/e
|discoverer = Adam P. Goucher
|discoveryear = 2023
|rulemin = B3/S23
|rulemax = B38/S238
|isorulemin = B3/S23-c
|isorulemax = B34cet6cen7e8/S234ceq5ek6ei7c8
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 640 WIDTH 640 THUMBSIZE 3 ZOOM 24 TRACKLOOP 8 -1/8 -1/8 GPS 3 ]]
|apgcode = xq8_goos99br95czho4ue08ke65frsk620cgzw244w1o88zy244064
}}
'''Walrus''' was the first elementary [[c/8 diagonal]] [[spaceship]] to be discovered. It was found by [[Adam P. Goucher]] on January 12, {{year|2023}},<ref name="post155852" /> using [[ikpx2]].<ref name="message1063240816627294298" />

The name was suggested by [[iNoMed]], in analogy to the faster [[seal]].<ref name="message1063240524515000400" />

== Gallery ==
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = walruseater
|viewerconfig = [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 12 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 500 ]]
|position = center
|caption = Walrus [[eater]], found by [[Goldtiger997]] and improved by iNoMed<ref name="post155892"/>
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = walrustoglider
|viewerconfig = [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 6 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 AUTOSTART T 0 PAUSE 3 LOOP 650 ]]
|position = center
|caption = Walrus to glider [[converter]], found by Goldtiger997<ref name="post155899"/>
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = walrushalfinfinitewave
|viewerconfig = [[ THUMBSIZE 2 WIDTH 600 HEIGHT 600 X -45 Y -45 Z 6 TRACKLOOP 8 -1/8 -1/8 GPS 3 AUTOSTART ]]
|position = center
|caption = Half-infinite wave supported by walrus, found by dexter1<ref name="post156102"/>
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="message1063240524515000400">{{CiteDiscord
|author = Adam P. Goucher
|date = January 12, 2023
|channel = cgol
|id = 1063240524515000400
}}</ref>
<ref name="message1063240816627294298">{{CiteDiscord
|author = Adam P. Goucher
|date = January 12, 2023
|channel = cgol
|id = 1063240816627294298
}}</ref>
<ref name="post155852">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 155852
|title = Re: Spaceship Discussion Thread
|author = cvojan
|date = January 12, 2023
}}</ref>
<ref name="post155892">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 155892
|title = Re: Spaceship Eaters
|author = iNoMed
|date = January 13, 2023
}}</ref>
<ref name="post155899">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 155899
|title = Re: Stable signal converters
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = January 13, 2023
}}</ref>
<ref name="post156102">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 156102
|title = Re: Spaceship Discussion Thread
|author = dexter1
|date = January 17, 2023
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* {{LinkCatagolue|xq8_goos99br95czho4ue08ke65frsk620cgzw244w1o88zy244064}}

RLE:Walrushalfinfinitewave

2026-06-11T02:03:26Z

Dvgrn: add walrus-related wave discovery from 2023

x = 151, y = 122, rule = B3/S23
4b3o2b2o$9b3o$7bo3bo$3bo6bob2o$2bo3b2o2bo$2o2b2o3bo$o3bo4b2o$o3b2obo2b
o4bo$2o2b3o3bo3b3o$3bob2o6bo2bo$2b5o6b2o3bo$10bo3b2o4bo$6bo7b2o4bo$11b
o4bo4b2o$10bo8bo3bo$7b3o10bobo$7b2o12bo4bo$8bo16b3o$9bo14bo2bo$9bo14b
2o3bo$25b2o4bo$25b2o4bo$27bo4b2o$30bo3bo$31bobo$32bo4bo$36b3o$35bo2bo
$35b2o3bo$36b2o4bo$36b2o4bo$38bo4b2o$41bo3bo$42bobo$43bo4bo$47b3o$46b
o2bo$46b2o3bo$47b2o4bo$47b2o4bo$49bo4b2o$52bo3bo$53bobo$54bo4bo$58b3o
$57bo2bo$57b2o3bo$58b2o4bo$58b2o4bo$60bo4b2o$63bo3bo$64bobo$65bo4bo$69b
3o$68bo2bo$68b2o3bo$69b2o4bo$69b2o4bo$71bo4b2o$74bo3bo$75bobo$76bo4bo
$80b3o$79bo2bo$79b2o3bo$80b2o4bo$80b2o4bo$82bo4b2o$85bo3bo$86bobo$87b
o4bo$91b3o$90bo2bo$90b2o3bo$91b2o4bo$91b2o4bo$93bo4b2o$96bo3bo$97bobo
$98bo4bo$102b3o$101bo2bo$101b2o3bo$102b2o4bo$102b2o4bo$104bo4b2o$107b
o3bo$108bobo$109bo4bo$113b3o$112bo2bo$112b2o3bo$113b2o4bo$113b2o4bo$115b
o4b2o$118bo3bo$119bobo$120bo4bo$124b3o$123bo2bo$123b2o3bo$124b2o4bo$124b
2o4bo$126bo4b2o$129bo3bo$130bobo$131bo4bo$135b3o$134bo2bo$134b2o3bo$135b
2o4bo$135b2o4bo$137bo4b2o$140bo3bo$141bobo$142bo4bo$146b3o$145bo2bo$145b
2o3bo$146b2o$146b2o$148bo!

Glider synthesis

2026-06-09T19:24:30Z

Dvgrn: add cottonmouth synth

{|style="margin-left:16px;margin-bottom:8px;width:300px;float:right;"
|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = loafer_synth
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 14 GPS 10 THEME Book AUTOSTART T 0 PAUSE 2 T 99 PAUSE 1 LOOP 100 ]]
|position = center
|caption = An 8-glider synthesis of a [[loafer]]
}}
|}
{{Glossary}}
'''Glider synthesis''' (or '''glider construction''') is the construction of an object by means of [[collision]]s of [[glider]]s and glider-constructible [[spaceship]]s. It is generally assumed that the gliders should be arranged so that they could come from infinity - that is, gliders should not have had to pass through one another to achieve the initial arrangement (or else it is considered “non-rewindable”). [[LWSS]]es, [[MWSS]]es and [[HWSS]]es can also be used in syntheses; these spaceships can themselves be easily synthesized from gliders at any point along their trajectory, so this conversion is often left as an implicit step.

== Features of syntheses ==
Four main characterizing features of a synthesis are the ''geometry'', ''construction time'', ''glider cost'', and ''number of stages''.

The '''geometry''' is the number of directions of incoming gliders:
* four-directional: gliders collide from all four directions
* three-directional: gliders collide from all directions but one
* two-directional; further divisible in head-on and 90° syntheses. All two-glider syntheses are necessarily two-directional.
* unidirectional, which assumes the initial presence of a '''target''' (usually a [[still life]] or an [[oscillator]]) to be hit with gliders. Such syntheses are also known as [[slow salvo|slow]] or [[synchronized salvo]] syntheses.
Since gliders are themselves glider-constructible, any multidirectional synthesis can be technically downgraded to a fewer-directional one, usually at the cost of increasing the construction time, cost, and/or number of stages needed for the synthesis. More challenging is finding a two- or three-directional synthesis for a particular object where few or no parts of the synthesis reactions extend outside the final pattern's [[bounding box]] in a particular direction. This is especially important for the synthesis of temporary [[bait]] objects, which will need to be placed sometimes quite close to other components without perturbing them. For especially tight locations, sometimes it will be useful to construct an [[LWSS]] (or another standard c/2 spaceship) some distance away from the synthesis nexus and let that collide with a glider in the final stages; this allows synthesis at a 45° angle, rather than a 90° angle as required for synthesis by gliders from separate directions.

The '''construction time''' is simply the number of [[generation]]s it takes to complete a synthesis. For multi-stage syntheses, each stage has its own construction time.

The '''number of stages''' is a count of how many separate operations a synthesis can be divided into, with pauses of arbitrary length between the stages. Often a particular synthesis operation cannot be achieved by a direct collision of gliders, and a synthesis procedure instead requires first synthesizing a number of [[bait]] objects, and then hitting these with gliders to produce the final result.

The '''cost''' is the number of gliders expended over the course of the synthesis. Similar to the construction time, it can be defined also for individual synthesis stages. A *WSS is considered to cost 3 gliders. The discovery of the [[reverse caber tosser]] in 2018 proved that there is a universal constant upper bound on the cost to synthesise any synthesisable object; currently, the best known upper bound is {{Reverse caber tosser/Lower bound}} gliders.

Of particular interest is [[salvo|slow salvo synthesis]]: unidirectional synthesis where every stage has a glider cost of one. Perhaps surprisingly, anything that is glider synthesizable is also slow salvo synthesizable, a result that crucially depends on the existence of [[universal construction]] [[construction arm|arms]] as well as [[one-time]] [[turner]]s and [[splitter]]s.

An '''incremental synthesis''' is a synthesis with multiple stages. The '''final step''' (final stage, activation step/stage) of an incremental synthesis is the step that converts a previously constructed stationary object or constellation into the target object. Finding the final step of a synthesis is often a nontrivial, complicated process.<ref name="post149546">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 149546
|title = Re: Suggested LifeWiki edits
|author = Dave Greene
|date = August 14, 2022
}}</ref><ref name="post160135">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 160135
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Carson Cheng
|date = April 6, 2023
}}</ref> After the final step may come one or more cleanup steps to remove stray objects that are not part of the intended target.

== Still life syntheses ==
In the 1990s, glider syntheses for all [[still life]]s and known [[oscillator]]s with at most 14 [[cell]]s were found by [[David Buckingham]]. Almost all of these were successfully reduced to a synthesis cost of less than 1 glider per ON cell, or "1 glider per bit".<ref>{{LinkForumThread|p=20597|title=Re: 4 glider syntheses|author=Mark D. Niemiec|date=June 20, 2015|format=ref}}</ref>

A collaborative effort ending in May 2014 completed glider syntheses of all still lifes with 17 or fewer cells.<ref>{{LinkGoLNews|2014/05/constructions_known_for_all_st.html|title=Constructions Known for All Still Lifes up to 17 Bits|author=Dave Greene|date=May 23, 2014|archivedate=20180806063633}}</ref><ref>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1276|title=17-bit SL Syntheses (100% Complete!)|author=Martin Grant|date=January 6, 2014|format=ref}}</ref><ref name="post11972" /> Lengthy projects to complete syntheses for all still lifes up to specific populations were completed for 18 bits in October 2019,<ref name="post83979" /> 19 bits in February 2020,<ref name="post89061" /> 20 bits in March 2021,<ref name="post125259" /> 21 bits in November 2022,<ref name="post153564" /> 22 bits in August 2024,<ref name="post192477" /> and 23 bits in December 2025.<ref name="post223246" />

Optimization projects reduced the maximum cost of construction for 15-bit,<ref>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=2441|title=15 in 15: Efficient 15-bit Synthesis Project (DONE!)|author=BlinkerSpawn|date=October 27, 2016|format=ref}}</ref><ref name="post37438" /> 16-bit,<ref>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=2642|title=16 in 16: Efficient 16-bit Synthesis Project|author=Bob Shemyakin|date=December 20, 2016|format=ref}}</ref><ref name="post43734" /> and 17-bit<ref name="post82560" /> still lifes to less than one glider per bit, in November 2016, May 2017, and September 2019 respectively.

In September 2020, the 17-glider reverse caber-tosser proved that all synthesizable still lifes could theoretically be constructed with no more than one glider per bit.<ref name="post104484" />

In July 2025, a 12-glider synthesis was found for the last remaining 16-cell still life.<ref name=16in12>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=3267|p=214423|title=Re: Still Life Synthesis Thread|author=May13|date=July 11, 2025|format=raw}}, in which the 16-in-12 project was completed</ref>

The following table displays statistics about the costs (excluding RCT constructions) for strict and pseudo still lifes with up to 21 cells {{as of|November 15, 2022}}.<ref>{{CiteCatagolue|page=syntheses|title=Syntheses|accessdate=November 15, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan=2 | Live cells
! colspan=4 | Strict still lifes
! colspan=3 | Pseudo still lifes
! colspan=3 | Quasi still lifes
|-
! Count<br>({{OEIS|A019473}})
! Min. cost
! Avg. cost
! Max. cost
! Count<br>({{OEIS|A056613}})
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count<br>({{OEIS|A330283}})
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
|-
! 4
| {{A019473|4}}
| 2
| 2.500
| 3
| {{A056613|4}}
| –
| –
| {{A330283|4}}
| –
| –
|-
! 5
| {{A019473|5}}
| 2
| 2.000
| 2
| {{A056613|5}}
| –
| –
| {{A330283|5}}
| –
| –
|-
! 6
| {{A019473|6}}
| 2
| 3.200
| 4
| {{A056613|6}}
| –
| –
| {{A330283|6}}
| –
| –
|-
! 7
| {{A019473|7}}
| 2
| 2.750
| 4
| {{A056613|7}}
| –
| –
| {{A330283|7}}
| –
| –
|-
! 8
| {{A019473|8}}
| 2
| 3.556
| 4
| {{A056613|8}}
| 2
| 2
| {{A330283|8}}
| 3
| 4
|-
! 9
| {{A019473|9}}
| 3
| 4.000
| 5
| {{A056613|9}}
| 3
| 3
| {{A330283|9}}
| 3
| 4
|-
! 10
| {{A019473|10}}
| 4
| 4.360
| 5
| {{A056613|10}}
| 3
| 5
| {{A330283|10}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 11
| {{A019473|11}}
| 4
| 4.543
| 5
| {{A056613|11}}
| 3
| 6
| {{A330283|11}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 12
| {{A019473|12}}
| 4
| 4.967
| 6<ref>{{CiteDiscord|channel=bots-and-mute-this|id=1425889541985665175|author=Kazyan|date=October 9, 2025}}, in which 12-in-6 was completed</ref>
| {{A056613|12}}
| 3
| 9
| {{A330283|12}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 13
| {{A019473|13}}
| 4
| 5.366
| 8
| {{A056613|13}}
| 4
| 9
| {{A330283|13}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 14
| {{A019473|14}}
| 3
| 5.963
| 9
| {{A056613|14}}
| 3
| 10
| {{A330283|14}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 15
| {{A019473|15}}
| 4
| 6.796
| 10
| {{A056613|15}}
| 4
| 12
| {{A330283|15}}
| 4
| ?
|-
! 16
| {{A019473|16}}
| 3
| 7.703
| 12<ref name=16in12 />
| {{A056613|16}}
| 4
| 15
| {{A330283|16}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 17
| {{A019473|17}}
| 4
| 8.705
| 15
| {{A056613|17}}
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 16{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}<ref group=n>the two remaining that cost 16G are {{LinkCatagolue|xs17_c842hjz31243|style=raw}} and {{LinkCatagolue|xs17_i5mgdbz1101|style=raw}}</ref>
| {{A330283|17}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 18
| {{A019473|18}}
| 4
| 9.789
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 23{{refn|group=n|name=RCT|{{Reverse caber tosser/Lower bound}} gliders using the [[reverse caber-tosser]]}}{{refn|group=n|All but 63 18-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|18}}
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 24{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 22 18-bit pseudo still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|June 18, 2025}}.}}
| {{A330283|18}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 19
| {{A019473|19}}
| 4
| 11.421
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 34{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 851 19-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|19}}
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 31{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 48 19-bit pseudo still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A330283|19}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 20
| {{A019473|20}}
| 4
| 12.785
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 67{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 4931 20-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|20}}
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 40{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 248 20-bit pseudo still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A330283|20}}
| 4
| ?
|-
! 21
| {{A019473|21}}
| 5
| 14.465
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 80{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 20,057 21-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|21}}
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | {{refn|group=n|Only 82941 of 179011 21-bit pseudo still lifes are currently tabulated on Catagolue.}}
| {{A330283|21}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 22
| {{A019473|22}}
| 4
| 16.317
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 124{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 80,064 22-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|22}}
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" |
| {{A330283|22}}
| ?
| ?
|-
! 23
| {{A019473|23}}
| 5
| ?
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | ?
| {{A056613|23}}
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" |
| {{A330283|23}}
| ?
| ?
|}

In January 2022, work by [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] demonstrated [[Unique father problem|a still life]] with 306 cells that is impossible to synthesize with gliders, [[Unique father problem#Reduction|reduced]] by [[400spartans]] to 278 on September 4, {{year|2023}}, 236 on March 12, {{year|2024}}, 184 on September 1, 2024, 162 on January 19, 2025, and 154 on April 4, 2025, meaning there is a threshold <tt>22 < p ≤ 154</tt> such that not all still lifes with <tt>≥ p</tt> cells are constructible.

<references group=n />

== Oscillator syntheses ==
The following is a table of the smallest oscillators with synthesis statistics:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" | Min. population
! colspan="3" | Period-2 oscillators
! colspan="3" | Period-3 oscillators
! colspan="3" | Period-4 oscillators
|-
! Count<br>({{OEIS|A056614}})
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
|-
! 3
| 1
| 2
| 2
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 6
| 3
| 3
| 4
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 8
| 1
| 4
| 4
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 9
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 10
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 11
| 1
| 8
| 8
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 12
| 6
| 5
| 7
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 2
| 5
| 5
|-
! 13
| 3
| 5
| 11
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 14
| 20
| 5
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 28
| 1
| 6
| 6
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 15
| 29
| 5
| 14
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 16
| 98
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 56
| 7
| 5
| 8
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 17
| 199
| 7(?)
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 8
| 5
| 13
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 18
| 484
| 4(?)
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 39
| 5
| 12
| 3
| 6
| 9
|-
! 19
| 1083
| ?
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 66
| 9
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 44
| 7
| 6
| 13
|-
! 20
| 2722
| ?
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 213
| ?
| ?
| 23
| ?
| ?
|-
! 21
| 6596
| ?
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 420
| ?
| ?
| 34
| ?
| ?
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" | Min. population
! colspan="3" | Period-5 oscillators
! colspan="3" | Period-6 oscillators
! colspan="3" | Higher periods
|-
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
|-
! 12
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
| 2
| 3
| 4
|-
! 15
| 1
| 9
| 9
| 0
| -
| -
| 1
| 5
| 5
|-
! 16
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 1
| 5
| 5
|-
! 17
| 2
| 9
| 10
| 0
| -
| -
| 2
| 5
| 8
|-
! 18
| 4
| 6
| 10
| 4
| 8
| 9
| 1
| 6
| 6
|-
! 19
| 8
| 9
| 10
| 0
| -
| -
| 1
| 6
| 6
|-
! 20
| 16
| ?
| ?
| 11
| ?
| ?
| ?
| -
| -
|-
! 21
| 42
| ?
| ?
| 15
| ?
| ?
| ?
| -
| -
|}

== Spaceship syntheses ==
Perhaps the most interesting glider syntheses are those of [[spaceship]]s, because these can be used to create corresponding [[gun]]s and [[rake]]s. Many of the [[c/2]] spaceships that are based on standard spaceships have been synthesized, mostly by [[Mark Niemiec]]. In June {{year|1998}}, [[Stephen Silver]] found syntheses for some of the [[Cordership]]s (although it was not until July {{year|1999}} that [[Jason Summers]] used this to build a Cordership gun). Many larger Corderships also have known glider syntheses, and others could easily be generated using the same techniques. In general, larger Corderships have declined in importance after the discovery of four-, three- and two-engine versions.

In May {{year|2000}}, [[Noam Elkies]] suggested that [[60P5H2V0]], a [[2c/5]] spaceship found by [[Tim Coe]] in May {{year|1996}}, might be a candidate for glider synthesis. Initial attempts to construct a synthesis for this spaceship got fairly close, but it was only in March {{year|2003}} that Summers and Elkies managed to find a way to perform the crucial last step. Summers then used the new synthesis to build a c/2 forward rake for the 2c/5 spaceship; this was the first example in [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]] of a rake which fires spaceships that travel in the same direction as the rake but more slowly.

After the [[loafer]] was discovered and synthesized in 2013, a number of new spaceship syntheses were found during a short period of time in late 2014 and early 2015, including the [[dart]], [[crab]], [[25P3H1V0.2]], [[30P5H2V0]], [[x66]], and [[weekender]]. Most of this was due to the work of [[Martin Grant]].

Current research is ongoing for [[one-sided spaceship synthesis]] of [[XWSS]]. This allows for easier construction of [[convoy]]s and [[flotilla]]s, which are important components of [[helix|helices]], in turn important in several classes of [[engineered spaceship]]s.


{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="2" | Name !! rowspan="2" | Speed !! colspan="2" | First synthesis !! Best current synthesis
|-
! Date !! Discoverer !! Fewest gliders
|-
| [[60P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2003-03-17 || [[Noam Elkies]] || 33
|-
| [[loafer]] || data-sort-value="o 0.142857" | [[c/7 orthogonal]] || 2013-02-17 || [[Adam P. Goucher]] || 8
|-
| [[dart]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2014-12-02 || [[Ivan Fomichev]], [[Mark Niemiec]], [[Martin Grant]], [[Michael Simkin]] || 24
|-
| [[crab]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2014-12-26 || [[Brett Berger]], [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 11
|-
| [[Parallel HBK]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | [[(6,3)c/245912]] || 2014-12-31 || [[Michael Simkin]] || 38,380
|-
| [[30P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2015-01-01 || [[Martin Grant]], [[Matthias Merzenich]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 39
|-
| [[25P3H1V0.1]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2015-01-06 || [[Martin Grant]] || 16
|-
| [[x66]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-01-11 || [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 11
|-
| [[weekender]] || data-sort-value="o 0.285714" | [[2c/7 orthogonal]] || 2015-01-25 || [[Chris Cain]], [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 28
|-
| [[pufferfish spaceship]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-02-11 || [[Chris Cain]] || 51
|-
| [[Gemini]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | [[(2560,512)c/16849793]] || 2015-02-16 || [[Dave Greene]] || 173,449
|-
| [[Semi-x66]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-03-08 || [[Adam P. Goucher]], [[praosylen]], [[Chris Cain]], [[Matthias Merzenich]] || 9
|-
| [[B29]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2015-04-06 || [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 15
|-
| [[Pushalong 1]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-06-12 || [[Martin Grant]] || 14
|-
| [[30P4H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-09-10 || [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 48
|-
| [[0hd Demonoid]] || data-sort-value="d 0.000148114" | [[65c/438852 diagonal]] || 2015-12-06 || [[Chris Cain]] || 12,016
|-
| [[copperhead]] || data-sort-value="o 0.1" | [[c/10 orthogonal]] || 2016-03-05 || [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 13
|-
| [[fireship]] || data-sort-value="o 0.1" | [[c/10 orthogonal]] || 2016-03-21 || [[Nora Brown]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 18
|-
| [[25P3H1V0.2]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2017-12-15 || [[Martin Grant]] || 22
|-
| [[Orthogonoid]] || data-sort-value="o 0.0000736475" | [[16c/217251 orthogonal]] || 2017-12-30 || [[Dave Greene]] || 37,625
|-
| [[2-engine Cordership]] || data-sort-value="d 0.0833" | [[c/12 diagonal]] || 2017-12-31 || [[Dave Greene]] || 8
|-
| [[46P4H1V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.25" | [[c/4 orthogonal]] || 2019-02-04 || [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 46
|-
| [[spider]] || data-sort-value="o 0.2" | [[c/5 orthogonal]] || 2019-03-07 || [[Martin Grant]] || 201
|-
| [[camelship]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | [[(3,1)c/3948264]] || 2019-05-04 || [[Dave Greene]] || 26,614
|-
| [[wings]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2019-10-28 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 31
|-
| [[orthogonal loopship]] || data-sort-value="o 0.0499977" | 1000130c/20003511 orthogonal || 2020-01-08 || [[Dave Greene]] || 56,643
|-
| [[56P6H1V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.167" | [[c/6 orthogonal]] || 2020-03-25 || [[AforAmpere]], [[praosylen]], [[Goldtiger997]], [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 271
|-
| [[58P5H1V1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.2" | [[c/5 diagonal]] || 2020-04-03 || [[Adam P. Goucher]], [[BlinkerSpawn]], [[Goldtiger997]], [[Peter Naszvadi]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 99
|-
| [[31P8H4V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2020-04-10 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 35
|-
| [[70P2H1V0.1]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2020-07-18 || [[Martin Grant]] || 167
|-
| [[44P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2020-08-29 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 23
|-
| [[55P9H3V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2020-09-19 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 193
|-
| [[Speed Demonoid]] || data-sort-value="d 0.1992019" | 1642811c/8246964 diagonal || 2020-09-26 || [[Dave Greene]] || 31,822
|-
| [[57P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2020-11-02 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 111
|-
| [[turtle]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2020-12-04 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 220
|-
| [[doo-dah]] || data-sort-value="o 0.285714" | [[2c/7 orthogonal]] || 2020-12-06 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 34
|-
| [[edge-repair spaceship 1]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2021-01-24 || [[bubblegum]], [[goldenratio]] || 16
|-
| [[72P4H1V0]]<ref name="post124810" /> || data-sort-value="o 0.25" | [[c/4 orthogonal]] || 2021-03-08 || [[Tanner Jacobi]], [[Goldtiger997]] || 190
|-
| [[61P4H1V0]]<ref name="post128012" /> || data-sort-value="o 0.25" | [[c/4 orthogonal]] || 2021-04-10 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 89
|-
| [[Canada Grey]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2021-07-01 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Martin Grant]] || 398
|-
| [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | (16461006,16460963)c/75568091 || 2021-08-02 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 144,221
|-
| [[Orion 2]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2022-01-10 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 31
|-
| [[33P4H1V1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2022-01-14 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Mark Niemiec]]<ref name="post140292" /> || 44
|-
| [[70P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2022-01-26 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 221
|-
| [[58P8H4V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2022-02-25 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Mark Niemiec]] || 25
|-
| [[SSGRL]] || data-sort-value="o 0.2419" | 15492980c/72085603 orthogonal || 2022-03-08 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 141,617
|-
| [[30P3H1V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2022-06-16 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 23
|-
| [[29P3H1V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2022-06-29 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 33
|-
| [[brain]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2022-11-25 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 95
|-
| Infinite families of [[waltz]] stabilisations || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2022-12-09 || [[Goldtiger997]],<ref>https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&start=625#p154625</ref> [[Connor Steppie]]<ref>https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&start=625#p154645</ref> || ≥26
|-
| [[66P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2022-12-23 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 57
|-
| [[37P4H1V1.1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2022-12-28 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 63
|-
| [[77P6H1V1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.167" | [[c/6 diagonal]] || 2024-01-28 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 221
|-
| [[32P4H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2025-01-27 || [[TigerCub414]] || 19
|-
| {{LinkCatagolue|xq3_w2lez2r30hnkozw148222q7zy2966|style=raw|patternname=42P3H1V0}} || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2025-07-14 || [[May13]] || 122
|-
| [[Unnamed 7WSS sidecar]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2025-07-21 || [[May13]] || 23
|-
| {{LinkCatagolue|xq4_aghhgiszkc08gz4v463hz0244447|style=raw|patternname=unnamed c/2 tagalong}} || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2025-07-23 || [[May13]] || 27
|-
| [[35P4H1V1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2025-07-24 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[KtT]] || 41
|-
| [[B29]] with [[Wainwright's tagalong]] (2 variants) || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2025-07-25 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 19
|-
| [[36P3H1V0.2]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2026-05-08 || [[vilc]] || 94
|-
| [[solifuge]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | (12,4)c/62 || 2026-05-14 || [[hibiscus]], [[Chris857]], [[iNoMed]], [[Dave Greene]] || 190
|-
| [[lobster]] || data-sort-value="d 0.142857" | [[c/7 diagonal]] || 2026-06-01 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Chris857]], [[iNoMed]], [[KtT]], [[vilc]] || 118
|-
| [[cottonmouth]] || data-sort-value="o 0.1" | [[c/10 orthogonal]] || 2026-06-08 || [[vilc]] || 116
|}

Many other spaceships such as [[Kermit]] have recent synthesis examples.

{{AS OF|July 2025}},<ref name="post215062" /> the smallest known spaceships with no known syntheses are as follows:
* [[Canada goose]]: 36 cells
* [[36P3H1V0.3]]: 36 cells
* [[MWSS behind Coe ship]] ([https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_o211vx6ruczg84073zfg0g/b3s23 xq4_o211vx6ruczg84073zfg0g]): 36 cells

== Other syntheses of note ==
[[File:Glider synth pentadecathlon.png|thumb|right|A 3-glider synthesis of a [[pentadecathlon]].]]

A [[Three-glider collision|3-glider synthesis]] of a [[pentadecathlon]] was found in April {{year|1997}} by [[Heinrich Koenig]], which came as a surprise because it was widely assumed that such a small synthesis would already be known.

Along similar lines, a 3-glider synthesis of the [[bi-pond]] was discovered in June {{year|2014}} by [[Bob Shemyakin]],<ref>{{LinkForumThread|p=12276|title=4 glider syntheses|author=Bob Shemyakin|date=June 16, 2014|format=ref}}</ref> a 3-glider synthesis of a messy [[glider-producing switch engine]] was found in October {{year|2014}} by [[Michael Simkin]],<ref>{{LinkForumThread|p=13988|title=Re: Making switch-engines|author=Michael Simkin|date=October 24, 2014|format=ref}}</ref> and a 3-glider synthesis of a [[clean]] [[switch engine]] was discovered in March {{year|2017}} by [[Luka Okanishi]].<ref>{{LinkForumThread|p=41557|title=Re: Thread For Your Accidental Discoveries|work=ConwayLife.com forums|author=Luka Okanishi|date=March 12, 2017|format=ref}}</ref>

On March 27, {{year|2022}}, [[dani]] found that two copies of Simkin's GPSE synthesis could be combined to produce a record-breaking 6-glider synthesis<ref name="post143450" /> of a [[breeder]] which had been discovered a week earlier.<ref name="post143132" />

== 2-glider syntheses ==
{{main|2-glider collision}}

There are 71 distinct 2-glider collisions, of which 28 produce [[nothing]], six produce a [[block]], five produce a [[honey farm]], three produce a [[B-heptomino]], three produce a [[pi-heptomino]], three produce a [[blinker]], three produce a [[traffic light]], two produce a [[glider]], two produce a [[pond]], two produce a [[loaf]] and a [[blinker]], one produces a [[boat]], one produces a [[beehive]], one produces a [[loaf]], one produces an [[eater 1]], one produces [[lumps of muck]], one produces a [[teardrop]], one produces an [[interchange]], one produces a traffic light and a glider, one produces [[Two-glider octomino|an octomino]], one produces a [[bi-block]], one produces four blocks, one produces two blocks, one produces a blinker, loaf, [[tub]] and block, and one produces the so-called [[two-glider mess]], a [[methuselah]] stabilizing after 530 generations and consisting of four gliders, eight blinkers (including a traffic light), four blocks, a beehive and a [[ship]].

All 71 such syntheses can be seen below in a pattern put together by [[Jason Summers]] on January 29, {{year|2005}}:

{{EmbedViewer
|pname = twoglidersyntheses
|position = center
|caption = All 71 distinct 2-glider collisions, arranged by what they synthesize
|viewerconfig = #C [[ WIDTH 1200 HEIGHT 1200 ZOOM 3 ]]
}}

== See also ==
* {{CategoryLink|Patterns constructible by a given number of gliders}}
* [[Salvo]]
* [[Tutorials/Glider syntheses]]
* [[Shinjuku]]
* [[Glider destruction]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post11972">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 17-bit SL Syntheses
|p = 11972
|author = Martin Grant
|date = May 17, 2014
}}</ref>
<ref name="post82560">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 17 in 17: Efficient 17-bit synthesis project
|p = 82560
|author = Tanner Jacobi
|date = September 9, 2019
}}</ref>
<ref name="post104484">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Binary slow salvos
|p = 104484
|author = Adam P. Goucher
|date = September 19, 2020
}}</ref>
<ref name="post83979">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 18-bit SL Syntheses (100% Complete!)
|p = 83979
|author = Ian07
|date = October 9, 2019
}}</ref>
<ref name="post89061">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 19-bit still life syntheses
|p = 89061
|author = Martin Grant
|date = February 8, 2020
}}</ref>
<ref name="post125259">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 20-bit still life syntheses
|p = 125259
|author = Martin Grant
|date = March 12, 2021
}}</ref>
<ref name="post153564">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 21-bit still life syntheses
|p = 153564
|author = May13
|date = November 14, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post192477">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 22-bit still life syntheses
|p = 192477
|author = May13
|date = August 19, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="post223246">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 23-bit still life syntheses
|p = 223246
|author = vilc
|date = December 27, 2025
}}</ref>
<ref name="post37438">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 15 in 15: Efficient 15-bit Synthesis Project (2 SLs remain)
|p = 37438
|author = Martin Grant
|date = November 19, 2016
}}</ref>
<ref name="post43734">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 15 in 15: Efficient 15-bit Synthesis Project (2 SLs remain)
|p = 43734
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = May 24, 2017
}}</ref>
<ref name="post124810">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 124810
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = March 8, 2021
}}</ref>
<ref name="post128012">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 128012
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = April 10, 2021
}}</ref>
<ref name="post140292">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 140292
|author = Mark Niemiec
|date = January 14, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post143450">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Quadratic Growth Patterns
|p = 143450
|author = dani
|date = March 27, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post143132">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Quadratic Growth Patterns
|p = 143132
|author = dani
|date = March 20, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post215062">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 215062
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = July 25, 2025
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/syntheses Catagolue synthesis database]
* {{LinkNiemiec|lifepage.htm|title=Mark Niemiec's glider synthesis database}}
* [https://conwaylife.com/ref/DRH/life.html Dean Hickerson's Life page] with four pages of glider syntheses
* [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=46552#p46552 Martin Grant's synthesis component database], version 3
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20210716021110/http://pentadecathlon.com/constructions/components/components.php Heinrich Koenig's component catalog] on [[Game of Life News|pentadecathlon.com]]
* {{LinkLexicon|lex_g.htm#glidersynthesis}}

=== Forum threads ===
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=3267|title=Still Life Synthesis Thread}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1155|title=Synthesising Oscillators}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1557|title=Small Spaceship Syntheses}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=3960|title=Soup-based syntheses}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=4257|title=Randomly enumerating glider syntheses}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1394|title=4 glider syntheses}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=4063|title=Synthesis components}}

[[Category:Synthesis| ]]
[[Category:Lists of patterns with synthesis costs]]

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-09T19:16:55Z

Dvgrn: fixed a minor mathematical misreading on my part

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 116 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-09T19:15:55Z

Dvgrn: cottonmouth synth

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229583#p229583 assembles] a construction recipe for a [[cottonmouth]] with 118 gliders, soon reduced to 103 gliders by [[Chris857]].
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-03T18:20:22Z

Dvgrn: oops, original cost was wrong

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 186-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-03T18:19:36Z

Dvgrn: lobster keeps getting cheaper

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 168-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 118 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Lobster

2026-06-03T13:55:37Z

Dvgrn: continuing to boil down the lobster synth

{{Spaceship
|name = Lobster
|pname = lobster
|c = 83
|bx = 26
|by = 26
|dir = Diagonal
|p = 7
|m = 7
|s = c/7
|z = c/7
|h = 81.7
|symmetry = /
|discoverer = Matthias Merzenich
|discoveryear = 2011
|rulemin = B3/S23
|rulemax = B38/S2378
|isorulemin = B3/S23
|isorulemax = B2i35ei6ein7e8/S234ce5cky6-an78
|synthesis = 119
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|animated = true
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 18 GPS 4 TRACKLOOP 7 -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|apgcode = xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzy4cc0j6mzy831
}}
'''Lobster''' is a [[c/7 diagonal]] [[spaceship]] that was discovered by [[Matthias Merzenich]] on August 19, {{year|2011}}.<ref name="post4983" /> It was the first c/7 diagonal spaceship to be found. It consists of two gliders pulling a tagalong-like object that then rephases them. It can be infinitely extended, with its wings used as [[pushalong]]s<ref>{{LinkGoLNews|2011/08/new_spaceship_velocity.html|title=New spaceship velocity|author=Adam P. Goucher|date=August 26, 2011}}</ref><ref name="post5006" /> It can also burn through one or two rows of blocks.

{{POTY|year=2011|rank=1|tie=the [[fully universal Turing machine]]}}
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 45, y = 35, rule = B3/S23
11b3o$11bo$2o2bobo5bo2b2o$obob2o9b2o$o4bo2bo2b2o$6bo5b2o$2b2o7bo2bo$2b
2o$13bo16b3o$20b3o7bo$20bo10bo2b2o$9b2o2bobo5bo2b2o8b2o$9bobob2o9b2o4b
2o$9bo4bo2bo2b2o9b2o$15bo5b2o7bo2bo$11b2o7bo2bo$11b2o19bo2bo$22bo9bo3b
o$33b3obo$38bo$18b2o2bobo13bo$18bobob2o13bo$18bo4bo2b2o13b2o$24bo3bo6b
2o2b2o2bo$20b2o6bo6bo2bo$20b2o4bobo4b2o$27bo5bo3bo3bo$28bo2bo4b2o$29b
2o3bo5bobo$33bo8b2o$33bo4bo$32bo3bo$32bo5b2o$33bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = Multiple copies of a pushalong supported by Lobster<ref name="post5006" />
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 44, y = 41, rule = B3/S23
2o$2o2$3b2o$3b2o2$6b2o$6b2o2$9b2o$9b2o2$12b2o$12b2o2$15b2o13b3o$15b2o
13bo$31bo2b2o$18b2o14b2o$18b2o10b2o$31b2o$21b2o7bo2bo$21b2o$32bo2bo$32b
o3bo$33b3obo$38bo$18b2o2bobo13bo$18bobob2o13bo$18bo4bo2b2o13b2o$24bo3b
o6b2o2b2o2bo$20b2o6bo6bo2bo$20b2o4bobo4b2o$27bo5bo3bo3bo$28bo2bo4b2o$
29b2o3bo5bobo$33bo8b2o$33bo4bo$32bo3bo$32bo5b2o$33bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART T 0 PAUSE 1 T 126 PAUSE 1 LOOP 127 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A lobster can burn through diagonally placed blocks<ref name="post172206" />
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}
== Tagalongs ==
On April 12, 2025, [[iNoMed]] found a [[tagalong]] for the lobster, based on a spaceship partial rediscovered by [[Shuich01]]. It can be added to one or both 'pincers'.<ref name="post209777" />

With B4k (in {{rl|4K Life}}), this tagalong is a self-sustaining 11-cell spaceship known as the tubber, and was discovered no later than in a Catagolue haul by 77topaz on May 15, 2018.
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 33, y = 26, rule = B3/S23
19b3o$19bo$20bo2b2o$23b2o$19b2o$20b2o$19bo2bo2$21bo2bo$21bo3bo$22b3obo
$27bo$7b2o2bobo13bo$7bobob2o13bo$7bo4bo2b2o13b2o$13bo3bo6b2o2b2o2bo$9b
2o6bo6bo2bo$9b2o4bobo4b2o$5bo10bo5bo3bo3bo$5bo11bo2bo4b2o$bobo2b2o10b
2o3bo5bobo$2o6b3o11bo8b2o$o2bobo3b2o11bo4bo$bo19bo3bo$21bo5b2o$22bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A lobster with the tagalong attached.
|style = width:300px;
|apgcode = xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzxkkowcc0j6mzy0b3cy131zx567
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 8, y = 6, rule = B34k/S23
5bo$5bo$bobo2b2o$2o$o2bobo$bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 420 THUMBSIZE 4 ZOOM 32 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = The tubber, a spaceship in B34k/S23
|style = width:200px;
|apgcode = xq7_6150a6e/b34ks23
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}

== Synthesis ==
In May {{year|2026}}, [[TigerCub414]] made progress on a synthesis of lobster.<ref name="post228518"/><ref name="post228954"/> Prior to lobster having a known synthesis, [[Goldtiger997]] found ways to attach the wing pushalong and tubber tagalong to lobster.<ref name="post228972"/> Goldtiger997 completed a final synthesis step on June 1.<ref name="post229315"/> Over the course of the next two days, a collaborative effort by Goldtiger997, [[Chris857]], [[iNoMed]], [[KtT]], and [[vilc]] completed the synthesis<ref name="post229331"/> and then reduced the cost by 67 gliders.<ref name="post229400"/>

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post4983">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = c/7 diagonal spaceship
|p = 4983
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = August 19, 2011
}}</ref>
<ref name="post5006">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: c/7 diagonal spaceship
|p = 5006
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = August 20, 2011
}}</ref>
<ref name="post172206">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 172206
|title = Re: Thread For Your Accidental Discoveries
|author = qqd
|date = November 29, 2023
}}</ref>
<ref name="post209777">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 209777
|title = Re: Spaceship Discussion Thread
|author = iNoMed
|date = April 12, 2025
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228518">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228518
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = TigerCub414
|date = May 9, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228954">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228954
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = TigerCub414
|date = May 22, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228972">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228972
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = May 23, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229315">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229315
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = June 1, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229331">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229331
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = vilc
|date = June 1, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229400">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229400
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = iNoMed
|date = June 3, 2026
}}</ref>

</references>

== External links ==
* {{LinkLexicon|lex_l.htm#lobster|name=Lobster}}
* {{LinkCatagolue|xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzy4cc0j6mzy831|patternname=Lobster}}

Lobster

2026-06-03T13:22:20Z

Dvgrn: reduce synth cost

{{Spaceship
|name = Lobster
|pname = lobster
|c = 83
|bx = 26
|by = 26
|dir = Diagonal
|p = 7
|m = 7
|s = c/7
|z = c/7
|h = 81.7
|symmetry = /
|discoverer = Matthias Merzenich
|discoveryear = 2011
|rulemin = B3/S23
|rulemax = B38/S2378
|isorulemin = B3/S23
|isorulemax = B2i35ei6ein7e8/S234ce5cky6-an78
|synthesis = 123
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|animated = true
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 18 GPS 4 TRACKLOOP 7 -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|apgcode = xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzy4cc0j6mzy831
}}
'''Lobster''' is a [[c/7 diagonal]] [[spaceship]] that was discovered by [[Matthias Merzenich]] on August 19, {{year|2011}}.<ref name="post4983" /> It was the first c/7 diagonal spaceship to be found. It consists of two gliders pulling a tagalong-like object that then rephases them. It can be infinitely extended, with its wings used as [[pushalong]]s<ref>{{LinkGoLNews|2011/08/new_spaceship_velocity.html|title=New spaceship velocity|author=Adam P. Goucher|date=August 26, 2011}}</ref><ref name="post5006" /> It can also burn through one or two rows of blocks.

{{POTY|year=2011|rank=1|tie=the [[fully universal Turing machine]]}}
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 45, y = 35, rule = B3/S23
11b3o$11bo$2o2bobo5bo2b2o$obob2o9b2o$o4bo2bo2b2o$6bo5b2o$2b2o7bo2bo$2b
2o$13bo16b3o$20b3o7bo$20bo10bo2b2o$9b2o2bobo5bo2b2o8b2o$9bobob2o9b2o4b
2o$9bo4bo2bo2b2o9b2o$15bo5b2o7bo2bo$11b2o7bo2bo$11b2o19bo2bo$22bo9bo3b
o$33b3obo$38bo$18b2o2bobo13bo$18bobob2o13bo$18bo4bo2b2o13b2o$24bo3bo6b
2o2b2o2bo$20b2o6bo6bo2bo$20b2o4bobo4b2o$27bo5bo3bo3bo$28bo2bo4b2o$29b
2o3bo5bobo$33bo8b2o$33bo4bo$32bo3bo$32bo5b2o$33bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = Multiple copies of a pushalong supported by Lobster<ref name="post5006" />
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 44, y = 41, rule = B3/S23
2o$2o2$3b2o$3b2o2$6b2o$6b2o2$9b2o$9b2o2$12b2o$12b2o2$15b2o13b3o$15b2o
13bo$31bo2b2o$18b2o14b2o$18b2o10b2o$31b2o$21b2o7bo2bo$21b2o$32bo2bo$32b
o3bo$33b3obo$38bo$18b2o2bobo13bo$18bobob2o13bo$18bo4bo2b2o13b2o$24bo3b
o6b2o2b2o2bo$20b2o6bo6bo2bo$20b2o4bobo4b2o$27bo5bo3bo3bo$28bo2bo4b2o$
29b2o3bo5bobo$33bo8b2o$33bo4bo$32bo3bo$32bo5b2o$33bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART T 0 PAUSE 1 T 126 PAUSE 1 LOOP 127 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A lobster can burn through diagonally placed blocks<ref name="post172206" />
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}
== Tagalongs ==
On April 12, 2025, [[iNoMed]] found a [[tagalong]] for the lobster, based on a spaceship partial rediscovered by [[Shuich01]]. It can be added to one or both 'pincers'.<ref name="post209777" />

With B4k (in {{rl|4K Life}}), this tagalong is a self-sustaining 11-cell spaceship known as the tubber, and was discovered no later than in a Catagolue haul by 77topaz on May 15, 2018.
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 33, y = 26, rule = B3/S23
19b3o$19bo$20bo2b2o$23b2o$19b2o$20b2o$19bo2bo2$21bo2bo$21bo3bo$22b3obo
$27bo$7b2o2bobo13bo$7bobob2o13bo$7bo4bo2b2o13b2o$13bo3bo6b2o2b2o2bo$9b
2o6bo6bo2bo$9b2o4bobo4b2o$5bo10bo5bo3bo3bo$5bo11bo2bo4b2o$bobo2b2o10b
2o3bo5bobo$2o6b3o11bo8b2o$o2bobo3b2o11bo4bo$bo19bo3bo$21bo5b2o$22bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A lobster with the tagalong attached.
|style = width:300px;
|apgcode = xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzxkkowcc0j6mzy0b3cy131zx567
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 8, y = 6, rule = B34k/S23
5bo$5bo$bobo2b2o$2o$o2bobo$bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 420 THUMBSIZE 4 ZOOM 32 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = The tubber, a spaceship in B34k/S23
|style = width:200px;
|apgcode = xq7_6150a6e/b34ks23
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}

== Synthesis ==
In May {{year|2026}}, [[TigerCub414]] made progress on a synthesis of lobster.<ref name="post228518"/><ref name="post228954"/> Prior to lobster having a known synthesis, [[Goldtiger997]] found ways to attach the wing pushalong and tubber tagalong to lobster.<ref name="post228972"/> Goldtiger997 completed a final synthesis step on June 1.<ref name="post229315"/> Over the course of the next two days, a collaborative effort by Goldtiger997, [[Chris857]], [[iNoMed]], [[KtT]], and [[vilc]] completed the synthesis<ref name="post229331"/> and then reduced the cost by 63 gliders.<ref name="post229394"/>

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post4983">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = c/7 diagonal spaceship
|p = 4983
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = August 19, 2011
}}</ref>
<ref name="post5006">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: c/7 diagonal spaceship
|p = 5006
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = August 20, 2011
}}</ref>
<ref name="post172206">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 172206
|title = Re: Thread For Your Accidental Discoveries
|author = qqd
|date = November 29, 2023
}}</ref>
<ref name="post209777">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 209777
|title = Re: Spaceship Discussion Thread
|author = iNoMed
|date = April 12, 2025
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228518">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228518
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = TigerCub414
|date = May 9, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228954">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228954
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = TigerCub414
|date = May 22, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228972">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228972
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = May 23, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229315">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229315
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = June 1, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229331">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229331
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = vilc
|date = June 1, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229394">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229394
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = iNoMed
|date = June 3, 2026
}}</ref>

</references>

== External links ==
* {{LinkLexicon|lex_l.htm#lobster|name=Lobster}}
* {{LinkCatagolue|xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzy4cc0j6mzy831|patternname=Lobster}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-03T13:17:40Z

Dvgrn: possibly pointless chasing the latest lobster synth cost

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 168-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 123 gliders over the next two days.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Lobster

2026-06-03T10:27:43Z

Dvgrn: lobster synth optimization

{{Spaceship
|name = Lobster
|pname = lobster
|c = 83
|bx = 26
|by = 26
|dir = Diagonal
|p = 7
|m = 7
|s = c/7
|z = c/7
|h = 81.7
|symmetry = /
|discoverer = Matthias Merzenich
|discoveryear = 2011
|rulemin = B3/S23
|rulemax = B38/S2378
|isorulemin = B3/S23
|isorulemax = B2i35ei6ein7e8/S234ce5cky6-an78
|synthesis = 129
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|animated = true
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 18 GPS 4 TRACKLOOP 7 -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|apgcode = xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzy4cc0j6mzy831
}}
'''Lobster''' is a [[c/7 diagonal]] [[spaceship]] that was discovered by [[Matthias Merzenich]] on August 19, {{year|2011}}.<ref name="post4983" /> It was the first c/7 diagonal spaceship to be found. It consists of two gliders pulling a tagalong-like object that then rephases them. It can be infinitely extended, with its wings used as [[pushalong]]s<ref>{{LinkGoLNews|2011/08/new_spaceship_velocity.html|title=New spaceship velocity|author=Adam P. Goucher|date=August 26, 2011}}</ref><ref name="post5006" /> It can also burn through one or two rows of blocks.

{{POTY|year=2011|rank=1|tie=the [[fully universal Turing machine]]}}
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 45, y = 35, rule = B3/S23
11b3o$11bo$2o2bobo5bo2b2o$obob2o9b2o$o4bo2bo2b2o$6bo5b2o$2b2o7bo2bo$2b
2o$13bo16b3o$20b3o7bo$20bo10bo2b2o$9b2o2bobo5bo2b2o8b2o$9bobob2o9b2o4b
2o$9bo4bo2bo2b2o9b2o$15bo5b2o7bo2bo$11b2o7bo2bo$11b2o19bo2bo$22bo9bo3b
o$33b3obo$38bo$18b2o2bobo13bo$18bobob2o13bo$18bo4bo2b2o13b2o$24bo3bo6b
2o2b2o2bo$20b2o6bo6bo2bo$20b2o4bobo4b2o$27bo5bo3bo3bo$28bo2bo4b2o$29b
2o3bo5bobo$33bo8b2o$33bo4bo$32bo3bo$32bo5b2o$33bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = Multiple copies of a pushalong supported by Lobster<ref name="post5006" />
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 44, y = 41, rule = B3/S23
2o$2o2$3b2o$3b2o2$6b2o$6b2o2$9b2o$9b2o2$12b2o$12b2o2$15b2o13b3o$15b2o
13bo$31bo2b2o$18b2o14b2o$18b2o10b2o$31b2o$21b2o7bo2bo$21b2o$32bo2bo$32b
o3bo$33b3obo$38bo$18b2o2bobo13bo$18bobob2o13bo$18bo4bo2b2o13b2o$24bo3b
o6b2o2b2o2bo$20b2o6bo6bo2bo$20b2o4bobo4b2o$27bo5bo3bo3bo$28bo2bo4b2o$
29b2o3bo5bobo$33bo8b2o$33bo4bo$32bo3bo$32bo5b2o$33bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART T 0 PAUSE 1 T 126 PAUSE 1 LOOP 127 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A lobster can burn through diagonally placed blocks<ref name="post172206" />
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}
== Tagalongs ==
On April 12, 2025, [[iNoMed]] found a [[tagalong]] for the lobster, based on a spaceship partial rediscovered by [[Shuich01]]. It can be added to one or both 'pincers'.<ref name="post209777" />

With B4k (in {{rl|4K Life}}), this tagalong is a self-sustaining 11-cell spaceship known as the tubber, and was discovered no later than in a Catagolue haul by 77topaz on May 15, 2018.
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 33, y = 26, rule = B3/S23
19b3o$19bo$20bo2b2o$23b2o$19b2o$20b2o$19bo2bo2$21bo2bo$21bo3bo$22b3obo
$27bo$7b2o2bobo13bo$7bobob2o13bo$7bo4bo2b2o13b2o$13bo3bo6b2o2b2o2bo$9b
2o6bo6bo2bo$9b2o4bobo4b2o$5bo10bo5bo3bo3bo$5bo11bo2bo4b2o$bobo2b2o10b
2o3bo5bobo$2o6b3o11bo8b2o$o2bobo3b2o11bo4bo$bo19bo3bo$21bo5b2o$22bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A lobster with the tagalong attached.
|style = width:300px;
|apgcode = xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzxkkowcc0j6mzy0b3cy131zx567
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 8, y = 6, rule = B34k/S23
5bo$5bo$bobo2b2o$2o$o2bobo$bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 420 THUMBSIZE 4 ZOOM 32 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = The tubber, a spaceship in B34k/S23
|style = width:200px;
|apgcode = xq7_6150a6e/b34ks23
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}

== Synthesis ==
In May {{year|2026}}, [[TigerCub414]] made progress on a synthesis of lobster.<ref name="post228518"/><ref name="post228954"/> Prior to lobster having a known synthesis, [[Goldtiger997]] found ways to attach the wing pushalong and tubber tagalong to lobster.<ref name="post228972"/> Goldtiger997 completed a final synthesis step on June 1.<ref name="post229315"/> Over the course of that day and the next, a collaborative effort by Goldtiger997, [[Chris857]], [[iNoMed]], [[KtT]], and [[vilc]] completed the synthesis and then reduced the cost by 57 gliders.<ref name="post229331"/>

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post4983">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = c/7 diagonal spaceship
|p = 4983
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = August 19, 2011
}}</ref>
<ref name="post5006">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: c/7 diagonal spaceship
|p = 5006
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = August 20, 2011
}}</ref>
<ref name="post172206">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 172206
|title = Re: Thread For Your Accidental Discoveries
|author = qqd
|date = November 29, 2023
}}</ref>
<ref name="post209777">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 209777
|title = Re: Spaceship Discussion Thread
|author = iNoMed
|date = April 12, 2025
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228518">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228518
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = TigerCub414
|date = May 9, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228954">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228954
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = TigerCub414
|date = May 22, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228972">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228972
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = May 23, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229315">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229315
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = June 1, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229331">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229331
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = vilc
|date = June 1, 2026
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* {{LinkLexicon|lex_l.htm#lobster|name=Lobster}}
* {{LinkCatagolue|xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzy4cc0j6mzy831|patternname=Lobster}}

Hibiscus

2026-06-03T10:20:42Z

Dvgrn: De-redlinking page for hibiscus

{{stub}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:hibiscus}}
{{Person|name=hibiscus}}
'''hibiscus''' is a [[Life enthusiast]] with an interest in a range of [[OCA]] topics, including a collaboration to set up the LifeWiki [[OCA:Main_Page|Other Cellular Automata main page]]. He also completed the first synthesis of the population-1414 [[solifuge]] spaceship.

Glider synthesis

2026-06-03T09:58:31Z

Dvgrn: add solifuge synth data to table

{|style="margin-left:16px;margin-bottom:8px;width:300px;float:right;"
|{{EmbedViewer
|pname = loafer_synth
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 14 GPS 10 THEME Book AUTOSTART T 0 PAUSE 2 T 99 PAUSE 1 LOOP 100 ]]
|position = center
|caption = An 8-glider synthesis of a [[loafer]]
}}
|}
{{Glossary}}
'''Glider synthesis''' (or '''glider construction''') is the construction of an object by means of [[collision]]s of [[glider]]s and glider-constructible [[spaceship]]s. It is generally assumed that the gliders should be arranged so that they could come from infinity - that is, gliders should not have had to pass through one another to achieve the initial arrangement (or else it is considered “non-rewindable”). [[LWSS]]es, [[MWSS]]es and [[HWSS]]es can also be used in syntheses; these spaceships can themselves be easily synthesized from gliders at any point along their trajectory, so this conversion is often left as an implicit step.

== Features of syntheses ==
Four main characterizing features of a synthesis are the ''geometry'', ''construction time'', ''glider cost'', and ''number of stages''.

The '''geometry''' is the number of directions of incoming gliders:
* four-directional: gliders collide from all four directions
* three-directional: gliders collide from all directions but one
* two-directional; further divisible in head-on and 90° syntheses. All two-glider syntheses are necessarily two-directional.
* unidirectional, which assumes the initial presence of a '''target''' (usually a [[still life]] or an [[oscillator]]) to be hit with gliders. Such syntheses are also known as [[slow salvo|slow]] or [[synchronized salvo]] syntheses.
Since gliders are themselves glider-constructible, any multidirectional synthesis can be technically downgraded to a fewer-directional one, usually at the cost of increasing the construction time, cost, and/or number of stages needed for the synthesis. More challenging is finding a two- or three-directional synthesis for a particular object where few or no parts of the synthesis reactions extend outside the final pattern's [[bounding box]] in a particular direction. This is especially important for the synthesis of temporary [[bait]] objects, which will need to be placed sometimes quite close to other components without perturbing them. For especially tight locations, sometimes it will be useful to construct an [[LWSS]] (or another standard c/2 spaceship) some distance away from the synthesis nexus and let that collide with a glider in the final stages; this allows synthesis at a 45° angle, rather than a 90° angle as required for synthesis by gliders from separate directions.

The '''construction time''' is simply the number of [[generation]]s it takes to complete a synthesis. For multi-stage syntheses, each stage has its own construction time.

The '''number of stages''' is a count of how many separate operations a synthesis can be divided into, with pauses of arbitrary length between the stages. Often a particular synthesis operation cannot be achieved by a direct collision of gliders, and a synthesis procedure instead requires first synthesizing a number of [[bait]] objects, and then hitting these with gliders to produce the final result.

The '''cost''' is the number of gliders expended over the course of the synthesis. Similar to the construction time, it can be defined also for individual synthesis stages. A *WSS is considered to cost 3 gliders. The discovery of the [[reverse caber tosser]] in 2018 proved that there is a universal constant upper bound on the cost to synthesise any synthesisable object; currently, the best known upper bound is {{Reverse caber tosser/Lower bound}} gliders.

Of particular interest is [[salvo|slow salvo synthesis]]: unidirectional synthesis where every stage has a glider cost of one. Perhaps surprisingly, anything that is glider synthesizable is also slow salvo synthesizable, a result that crucially depends on the existence of [[universal construction]] [[construction arm|arms]] as well as [[one-time]] [[turner]]s and [[splitter]]s.

An '''incremental synthesis''' is a synthesis with multiple stages. The '''final step''' (final stage, activation step/stage) of an incremental synthesis is the step that converts a previously constructed stationary object or constellation into the target object. Finding the final step of a synthesis is often a nontrivial, complicated process.<ref name="post149546">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 149546
|title = Re: Suggested LifeWiki edits
|author = Dave Greene
|date = August 14, 2022
}}</ref><ref name="post160135">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 160135
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Carson Cheng
|date = April 6, 2023
}}</ref> After the final step may come one or more cleanup steps to remove stray objects that are not part of the intended target.

== Still life syntheses ==
In the 1990s, glider syntheses for all [[still life]]s and known [[oscillator]]s with at most 14 [[cell]]s were found by [[David Buckingham]]. Almost all of these were successfully reduced to a synthesis cost of less than 1 glider per ON cell, or "1 glider per bit".<ref>{{LinkForumThread|p=20597|title=Re: 4 glider syntheses|author=Mark D. Niemiec|date=June 20, 2015|format=ref}}</ref>

A collaborative effort ending in May 2014 completed glider syntheses of all still lifes with 17 or fewer cells.<ref>{{LinkGoLNews|2014/05/constructions_known_for_all_st.html|title=Constructions Known for All Still Lifes up to 17 Bits|author=Dave Greene|date=May 23, 2014|archivedate=20180806063633}}</ref><ref>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1276|title=17-bit SL Syntheses (100% Complete!)|author=Martin Grant|date=January 6, 2014|format=ref}}</ref><ref name="post11972" /> Lengthy projects to complete syntheses for all still lifes up to specific populations were completed for 18 bits in October 2019,<ref name="post83979" /> 19 bits in February 2020,<ref name="post89061" /> 20 bits in March 2021,<ref name="post125259" /> 21 bits in November 2022,<ref name="post153564" /> 22 bits in August 2024,<ref name="post192477" /> and 23 bits in December 2025.<ref name="post223246" />

Optimization projects reduced the maximum cost of construction for 15-bit,<ref>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=2441|title=15 in 15: Efficient 15-bit Synthesis Project (DONE!)|author=BlinkerSpawn|date=October 27, 2016|format=ref}}</ref><ref name="post37438" /> 16-bit,<ref>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=2642|title=16 in 16: Efficient 16-bit Synthesis Project|author=Bob Shemyakin|date=December 20, 2016|format=ref}}</ref><ref name="post43734" /> and 17-bit<ref name="post82560" /> still lifes to less than one glider per bit, in November 2016, May 2017, and September 2019 respectively.

In September 2020, the 17-glider reverse caber-tosser proved that all synthesizable still lifes could theoretically be constructed with no more than one glider per bit.<ref name="post104484" />

In July 2025, a 12-glider synthesis was found for the last remaining 16-cell still life.<ref name=16in12>{{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=3267|p=214423|title=Re: Still Life Synthesis Thread|author=May13|date=July 11, 2025|format=raw}}, in which the 16-in-12 project was completed</ref>

The following table displays statistics about the costs (excluding RCT constructions) for strict and pseudo still lifes with up to 21 cells {{as of|November 15, 2022}}.<ref>{{CiteCatagolue|page=syntheses|title=Syntheses|accessdate=November 15, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan=2 | Live cells
! colspan=4 | Strict still lifes
! colspan=3 | Pseudo still lifes
! colspan=3 | Quasi still lifes
|-
! Count<br>({{OEIS|A019473}})
! Min. cost
! Avg. cost
! Max. cost
! Count<br>({{OEIS|A056613}})
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count<br>({{OEIS|A330283}})
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
|-
! 4
| {{A019473|4}}
| 2
| 2.500
| 3
| {{A056613|4}}
| –
| –
| {{A330283|4}}
| –
| –
|-
! 5
| {{A019473|5}}
| 2
| 2.000
| 2
| {{A056613|5}}
| –
| –
| {{A330283|5}}
| –
| –
|-
! 6
| {{A019473|6}}
| 2
| 3.200
| 4
| {{A056613|6}}
| –
| –
| {{A330283|6}}
| –
| –
|-
! 7
| {{A019473|7}}
| 2
| 2.750
| 4
| {{A056613|7}}
| –
| –
| {{A330283|7}}
| –
| –
|-
! 8
| {{A019473|8}}
| 2
| 3.556
| 4
| {{A056613|8}}
| 2
| 2
| {{A330283|8}}
| 3
| 4
|-
! 9
| {{A019473|9}}
| 3
| 4.000
| 5
| {{A056613|9}}
| 3
| 3
| {{A330283|9}}
| 3
| 4
|-
! 10
| {{A019473|10}}
| 4
| 4.360
| 5
| {{A056613|10}}
| 3
| 5
| {{A330283|10}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 11
| {{A019473|11}}
| 4
| 4.543
| 5
| {{A056613|11}}
| 3
| 6
| {{A330283|11}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 12
| {{A019473|12}}
| 4
| 4.967
| 6<ref>{{CiteDiscord|channel=bots-and-mute-this|id=1425889541985665175|author=Kazyan|date=October 9, 2025}}, in which 12-in-6 was completed</ref>
| {{A056613|12}}
| 3
| 9
| {{A330283|12}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 13
| {{A019473|13}}
| 4
| 5.366
| 8
| {{A056613|13}}
| 4
| 9
| {{A330283|13}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 14
| {{A019473|14}}
| 3
| 5.963
| 9
| {{A056613|14}}
| 3
| 10
| {{A330283|14}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 15
| {{A019473|15}}
| 4
| 6.796
| 10
| {{A056613|15}}
| 4
| 12
| {{A330283|15}}
| 4
| ?
|-
! 16
| {{A019473|16}}
| 3
| 7.703
| 12<ref name=16in12 />
| {{A056613|16}}
| 4
| 15
| {{A330283|16}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 17
| {{A019473|17}}
| 4
| 8.705
| 15
| {{A056613|17}}
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 16{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}<ref group=n>the two remaining that cost 16G are {{LinkCatagolue|xs17_c842hjz31243|style=raw}} and {{LinkCatagolue|xs17_i5mgdbz1101|style=raw}}</ref>
| {{A330283|17}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 18
| {{A019473|18}}
| 4
| 9.789
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 23{{refn|group=n|name=RCT|{{Reverse caber tosser/Lower bound}} gliders using the [[reverse caber-tosser]]}}{{refn|group=n|All but 63 18-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|18}}
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 24{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 22 18-bit pseudo still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|June 18, 2025}}.}}
| {{A330283|18}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 19
| {{A019473|19}}
| 4
| 11.421
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 34{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 851 19-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|19}}
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 31{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 48 19-bit pseudo still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A330283|19}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 20
| {{A019473|20}}
| 4
| 12.785
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 67{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 4931 20-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|20}}
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 40{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 248 20-bit pseudo still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A330283|20}}
| 4
| ?
|-
! 21
| {{A019473|21}}
| 5
| 14.465
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 80{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 20,057 21-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|21}}
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | {{refn|group=n|Only 82941 of 179011 21-bit pseudo still lifes are currently tabulated on Catagolue.}}
| {{A330283|21}}
| 3
| ?
|-
! 22
| {{A019473|22}}
| 4
| 16.317
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 124{{refn|group=n|name=RCT}}{{refn|group=n|All but 80,064 22-bit strict still lifes can be constructed with strictly less than one glider per bit {{as of|October 9, 2025}}.}}
| {{A056613|22}}
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" |
| {{A330283|22}}
| ?
| ?
|-
! 23
| {{A019473|23}}
| 5
| ?
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | ?
| {{A056613|23}}
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" |
| {{A330283|23}}
| ?
| ?
|}

In January 2022, work by [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] demonstrated [[Unique father problem|a still life]] with 306 cells that is impossible to synthesize with gliders, [[Unique father problem#Reduction|reduced]] by [[400spartans]] to 278 on September 4, {{year|2023}}, 236 on March 12, {{year|2024}}, 184 on September 1, 2024, 162 on January 19, 2025, and 154 on April 4, 2025, meaning there is a threshold <tt>22 < p ≤ 154</tt> such that not all still lifes with <tt>≥ p</tt> cells are constructible.

<references group=n />

== Oscillator syntheses ==
The following is a table of the smallest oscillators with synthesis statistics:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" | Min. population
! colspan="3" | Period-2 oscillators
! colspan="3" | Period-3 oscillators
! colspan="3" | Period-4 oscillators
|-
! Count<br>({{OEIS|A056614}})
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
|-
! 3
| 1
| 2
| 2
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 6
| 3
| 3
| 4
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 8
| 1
| 4
| 4
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 9
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 10
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 11
| 1
| 8
| 8
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 12
| 6
| 5
| 7
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 2
| 5
| 5
|-
! 13
| 3
| 5
| 11
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 14
| 20
| 5
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 28
| 1
| 6
| 6
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 15
| 29
| 5
| 14
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 16
| 98
| 4
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 56
| 7
| 5
| 8
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 17
| 199
| 7(?)
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 8
| 5
| 13
| 0
| -
| -
|-
! 18
| 484
| 4(?)
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 39
| 5
| 12
| 3
| 6
| 9
|-
! 19
| 1083
| ?
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 66
| 9
| style="background-color:#ffff80;" | 44
| 7
| 6
| 13
|-
! 20
| 2722
| ?
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 213
| ?
| ?
| 23
| ?
| ?
|-
! 21
| 6596
| ?
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Incomplete
| 420
| ?
| ?
| 34
| ?
| ?
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" | Min. population
! colspan="3" | Period-5 oscillators
! colspan="3" | Period-6 oscillators
! colspan="3" | Higher periods
|-
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
! Count
! Min. cost
! Max. cost
|-
! 12
| 0
| -
| -
| 0
| -
| -
| 2
| 3
| 4
|-
! 15
| 1
| 9
| 9
| 0
| -
| -
| 1
| 5
| 5
|-
! 16
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 1
| 5
| 5
| 1
| 5
| 5
|-
! 17
| 2
| 9
| 10
| 0
| -
| -
| 2
| 5
| 8
|-
! 18
| 4
| 6
| 10
| 4
| 8
| 9
| 1
| 6
| 6
|-
! 19
| 8
| 9
| 10
| 0
| -
| -
| 1
| 6
| 6
|-
! 20
| 16
| ?
| ?
| 11
| ?
| ?
| ?
| -
| -
|-
! 21
| 42
| ?
| ?
| 15
| ?
| ?
| ?
| -
| -
|}

== Spaceship syntheses ==
Perhaps the most interesting glider syntheses are those of [[spaceship]]s, because these can be used to create corresponding [[gun]]s and [[rake]]s. Many of the [[c/2]] spaceships that are based on standard spaceships have been synthesized, mostly by [[Mark Niemiec]]. In June {{year|1998}}, [[Stephen Silver]] found syntheses for some of the [[Cordership]]s (although it was not until July {{year|1999}} that [[Jason Summers]] used this to build a Cordership gun). Many larger Corderships also have known glider syntheses, and others could easily be generated using the same techniques. In general, larger Corderships have declined in importance after the discovery of four-, three- and two-engine versions.

In May {{year|2000}}, [[Noam Elkies]] suggested that [[60P5H2V0]], a [[2c/5]] spaceship found by [[Tim Coe]] in May {{year|1996}}, might be a candidate for glider synthesis. Initial attempts to construct a synthesis for this spaceship got fairly close, but it was only in March {{year|2003}} that Summers and Elkies managed to find a way to perform the crucial last step. Summers then used the new synthesis to build a c/2 forward rake for the 2c/5 spaceship; this was the first example in [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]] of a rake which fires spaceships that travel in the same direction as the rake but more slowly.

After the [[loafer]] was discovered and synthesized in 2013, a number of new spaceship syntheses were found during a short period of time in late 2014 and early 2015, including the [[dart]], [[crab]], [[25P3H1V0.2]], [[30P5H2V0]], [[x66]], and [[weekender]]. Most of this was due to the work of [[Martin Grant]].

Current research is ongoing for [[one-sided spaceship synthesis]] of [[XWSS]]. This allows for easier construction of [[convoy]]s and [[flotilla]]s, which are important components of [[helix|helices]], in turn important in several classes of [[engineered spaceship]]s.


{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="2" | Name !! rowspan="2" | Speed !! colspan="2" | First synthesis !! Best current synthesis
|-
! Date !! Discoverer !! Fewest gliders
|-
| [[60P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2003-03-17 || [[Noam Elkies]] || 33
|-
| [[loafer]] || data-sort-value="o 0.142857" | [[c/7 orthogonal]] || 2013-02-17 || [[Adam P. Goucher]] || 8
|-
| [[dart]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2014-12-02 || [[Ivan Fomichev]], [[Mark Niemiec]], [[Martin Grant]], [[Michael Simkin]] || 24
|-
| [[crab]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2014-12-26 || [[Brett Berger]], [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 11
|-
| [[Parallel HBK]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | [[(6,3)c/245912]] || 2014-12-31 || [[Michael Simkin]] || 38,380
|-
| [[30P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2015-01-01 || [[Martin Grant]], [[Matthias Merzenich]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 39
|-
| [[25P3H1V0.1]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2015-01-06 || [[Martin Grant]] || 16
|-
| [[x66]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-01-11 || [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 11
|-
| [[weekender]] || data-sort-value="o 0.285714" | [[2c/7 orthogonal]] || 2015-01-25 || [[Chris Cain]], [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 28
|-
| [[pufferfish spaceship]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-02-11 || [[Chris Cain]] || 51
|-
| [[Gemini]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | [[(2560,512)c/16849793]] || 2015-02-16 || [[Dave Greene]] || 173,449
|-
| [[Semi-x66]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-03-08 || [[Adam P. Goucher]], [[praosylen]], [[Chris Cain]], [[Matthias Merzenich]] || 9
|-
| [[B29]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2015-04-06 || [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 15
|-
| [[Pushalong 1]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-06-12 || [[Martin Grant]] || 14
|-
| [[30P4H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2015-09-10 || [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 48
|-
| [[0hd Demonoid]] || data-sort-value="d 0.000148114" | [[65c/438852 diagonal]] || 2015-12-06 || [[Chris Cain]] || 12,016
|-
| [[copperhead]] || data-sort-value="o 0.1" | [[c/10 orthogonal]] || 2016-03-05 || [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 13
|-
| [[fireship]] || data-sort-value="o 0.1" | [[c/10 orthogonal]] || 2016-03-21 || [[Nora Brown]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 18
|-
| [[25P3H1V0.2]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2017-12-15 || [[Martin Grant]] || 22
|-
| [[Orthogonoid]] || data-sort-value="o 0.0000736475" | [[16c/217251 orthogonal]] || 2017-12-30 || [[Dave Greene]] || 37,625
|-
| [[2-engine Cordership]] || data-sort-value="d 0.0833" | [[c/12 diagonal]] || 2017-12-31 || [[Dave Greene]] || 8
|-
| [[46P4H1V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.25" | [[c/4 orthogonal]] || 2019-02-04 || [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 46
|-
| [[spider]] || data-sort-value="o 0.2" | [[c/5 orthogonal]] || 2019-03-07 || [[Martin Grant]] || 201
|-
| [[camelship]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | [[(3,1)c/3948264]] || 2019-05-04 || [[Dave Greene]] || 26,614
|-
| [[wings]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2019-10-28 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 31
|-
| [[orthogonal loopship]] || data-sort-value="o 0.0499977" | 1000130c/20003511 orthogonal || 2020-01-08 || [[Dave Greene]] || 56,643
|-
| [[56P6H1V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.167" | [[c/6 orthogonal]] || 2020-03-25 || [[AforAmpere]], [[praosylen]], [[Goldtiger997]], [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 272
|-
| [[58P5H1V1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.2" | [[c/5 diagonal]] || 2020-04-03 || [[Adam P. Goucher]], [[BlinkerSpawn]], [[Goldtiger997]], [[Peter Naszvadi]], [[Tanner Jacobi]] || 99
|-
| [[31P8H4V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2020-04-10 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 35
|-
| [[70P2H1V0.1]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2020-07-18 || [[Martin Grant]] || 167
|-
| [[44P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2020-08-29 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 23
|-
| [[55P9H3V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2020-09-19 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 223
|-
| [[Speed Demonoid]] || data-sort-value="d 0.1992019" | 1642811c/8246964 diagonal || 2020-09-26 || [[Dave Greene]] || 31,822
|-
| [[57P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2020-11-02 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 111
|-
| [[turtle]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2020-12-04 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 225
|-
| [[doo-dah]] || data-sort-value="o 0.285714" | [[2c/7 orthogonal]] || 2020-12-06 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 34
|-
| [[edge-repair spaceship 1]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2021-01-24 || [[bubblegum]], [[goldenratio]] || 16
|-
| [[72P4H1V0]]<ref name="post124810" /> || data-sort-value="o 0.25" | [[c/4 orthogonal]] || 2021-03-08 || [[Tanner Jacobi]], [[Goldtiger997]] || 190
|-
| [[61P4H1V0]]<ref name="post128012" /> || data-sort-value="o 0.25" | [[c/4 orthogonal]] || 2021-04-10 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 89
|-
| [[Canada Grey]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2021-07-01 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Martin Grant]] || 402
|-
| [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | (16461006,16460963)c/75568091 || 2021-08-02 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 144,221
|-
| [[Orion 2]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2022-01-10 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 54
|-
| [[33P4H1V1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2022-01-14 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Mark Niemiec]]<ref name="post140292" /> || 44
|-
| [[70P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2022-01-26 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 221
|-
| [[58P8H4V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2022-02-25 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Mark Niemiec]] || 25
|-
| [[SSGRL]] || data-sort-value="o 0.2419" | 15492980c/72085603 orthogonal || 2022-03-08 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 141,617
|-
| [[30P3H1V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2022-06-16 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 23
|-
| [[29P3H1V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2022-06-29 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 33
|-
| [[brain]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2022-11-25 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 95
|-
| Infinite families of [[waltz]] stabilisations || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2022-12-09 || [[Goldtiger997]],<ref>https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&start=625#p154625</ref> [[Connor Steppie]]<ref>https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&start=625#p154645</ref> || ≥26
|-
| [[66P5H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.4" | [[2c/5 orthogonal]] || 2022-12-23 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 57
|-
| [[37P4H1V1.1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2022-12-28 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 63
|-
| [[77P6H1V1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.167" | [[c/6 diagonal]] || 2024-01-28 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 221
|-
| [[32P4H2V0]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2025-01-27 || [[TigerCub414]] || 19
|-
| {{LinkCatagolue|xq3_w2lez2r30hnkozw148222q7zy2966|style=raw|patternname=42P3H1V0}} || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2025-07-14 || [[May13]] || 122
|-
| [[Unnamed 7WSS sidecar]] || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2025-07-21 || [[May13]] || 23
|-
| {{LinkCatagolue|xq4_aghhgiszkc08gz4v463hz0244447|style=raw|patternname=unnamed c/2 tagalong}} || data-sort-value="o 0.5" | [[c/2 orthogonal]] || 2025-07-23 || [[May13]] || 27
|-
| [[35P4H1V1]] || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2025-07-24 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[KtT]] || 41
|-
| [[B29]] with [[Wainwright's tagalong]] (2 variants) || data-sort-value="d 0.25" | [[c/4 diagonal]] || 2025-07-25 || [[Goldtiger997]] || 19
|-
| [[36P3H1V0.2]] || data-sort-value="o 0.333" | [[c/3 orthogonal]] || 2026-05-08 || [[vilc]] || 94
|-
| [[solifuge]] || data-sort-value="oblique" | (12,4)c/62 || 2026-05-14 || [[hibiscus]], [[Chris857]], [[iNoMed]], [[Dave Greene]] || 190
|-
| [[lobster]] || data-sort-value="d 0.142857" | [[c/7 diagonal]] || 2026-06-01 || [[Goldtiger997]], [[Chris857]], [[iNoMed]], [[KtT]], [[vilc]] || 129
|}

Many other spaceships such as [[Kermit]] have recent synthesis examples.

{{AS OF|July 2025}},<ref name="post215062" /> the smallest known spaceships with no known syntheses are as follows:
* [[Canada goose]]: 36 cells
* [[36P3H1V0.3]]: 36 cells
* [[MWSS behind Coe ship]] ([https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_o211vx6ruczg84073zfg0g/b3s23 xq4_o211vx6ruczg84073zfg0g]): 36 cells

== Other syntheses of note ==
[[File:Glider synth pentadecathlon.png|thumb|right|A 3-glider synthesis of a [[pentadecathlon]].]]

A [[Three-glider collision|3-glider synthesis]] of a [[pentadecathlon]] was found in April {{year|1997}} by [[Heinrich Koenig]], which came as a surprise because it was widely assumed that such a small synthesis would already be known.

Along similar lines, a 3-glider synthesis of the [[bi-pond]] was discovered in June {{year|2014}} by [[Bob Shemyakin]],<ref>{{LinkForumThread|p=12276|title=4 glider syntheses|author=Bob Shemyakin|date=June 16, 2014|format=ref}}</ref> a 3-glider synthesis of a messy [[glider-producing switch engine]] was found in October {{year|2014}} by [[Michael Simkin]],<ref>{{LinkForumThread|p=13988|title=Re: Making switch-engines|author=Michael Simkin|date=October 24, 2014|format=ref}}</ref> and a 3-glider synthesis of a [[clean]] [[switch engine]] was discovered in March {{year|2017}} by [[Luka Okanishi]].<ref>{{LinkForumThread|p=41557|title=Re: Thread For Your Accidental Discoveries|work=ConwayLife.com forums|author=Luka Okanishi|date=March 12, 2017|format=ref}}</ref>

On March 27, {{year|2022}}, [[dani]] found that two copies of Simkin's GPSE synthesis could be combined to produce a record-breaking 6-glider synthesis<ref name="post143450" /> of a [[breeder]] which had been discovered a week earlier.<ref name="post143132" />

== 2-glider syntheses ==
{{main|2-glider collision}}

There are 71 distinct 2-glider collisions, of which 28 produce [[nothing]], six produce a [[block]], five produce a [[honey farm]], three produce a [[B-heptomino]], three produce a [[pi-heptomino]], three produce a [[blinker]], three produce a [[traffic light]], two produce a [[glider]], two produce a [[pond]], two produce a [[loaf]] and a [[blinker]], one produces a [[boat]], one produces a [[beehive]], one produces a [[loaf]], one produces an [[eater 1]], one produces [[lumps of muck]], one produces a [[teardrop]], one produces an [[interchange]], one produces a traffic light and a glider, one produces [[Two-glider octomino|an octomino]], one produces a [[bi-block]], one produces four blocks, one produces two blocks, one produces a blinker, loaf, [[tub]] and block, and one produces the so-called [[two-glider mess]], a [[methuselah]] stabilizing after 530 generations and consisting of four gliders, eight blinkers (including a traffic light), four blocks, a beehive and a [[ship]].

All 71 such syntheses can be seen below in a pattern put together by [[Jason Summers]] on January 29, {{year|2005}}:

{{EmbedViewer
|pname = twoglidersyntheses
|position = center
|caption = All 71 distinct 2-glider collisions, arranged by what they synthesize
|viewerconfig = #C [[ WIDTH 1200 HEIGHT 1200 ZOOM 3 ]]
}}

== See also ==
* {{CategoryLink|Patterns constructible by a given number of gliders}}
* [[Salvo]]
* [[Tutorials/Glider syntheses]]
* [[Shinjuku]]
* [[Glider destruction]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post11972">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 17-bit SL Syntheses
|p = 11972
|author = Martin Grant
|date = May 17, 2014
}}</ref>
<ref name="post82560">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 17 in 17: Efficient 17-bit synthesis project
|p = 82560
|author = Tanner Jacobi
|date = September 9, 2019
}}</ref>
<ref name="post104484">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Binary slow salvos
|p = 104484
|author = Adam P. Goucher
|date = September 19, 2020
}}</ref>
<ref name="post83979">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 18-bit SL Syntheses (100% Complete!)
|p = 83979
|author = Ian07
|date = October 9, 2019
}}</ref>
<ref name="post89061">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 19-bit still life syntheses
|p = 89061
|author = Martin Grant
|date = February 8, 2020
}}</ref>
<ref name="post125259">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 20-bit still life syntheses
|p = 125259
|author = Martin Grant
|date = March 12, 2021
}}</ref>
<ref name="post153564">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 21-bit still life syntheses
|p = 153564
|author = May13
|date = November 14, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post192477">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 22-bit still life syntheses
|p = 192477
|author = May13
|date = August 19, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="post223246">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 23-bit still life syntheses
|p = 223246
|author = vilc
|date = December 27, 2025
}}</ref>
<ref name="post37438">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 15 in 15: Efficient 15-bit Synthesis Project (2 SLs remain)
|p = 37438
|author = Martin Grant
|date = November 19, 2016
}}</ref>
<ref name="post43734">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: 15 in 15: Efficient 15-bit Synthesis Project (2 SLs remain)
|p = 43734
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = May 24, 2017
}}</ref>
<ref name="post124810">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 124810
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = March 8, 2021
}}</ref>
<ref name="post128012">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 128012
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = April 10, 2021
}}</ref>
<ref name="post140292">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 140292
|author = Mark Niemiec
|date = January 14, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post143450">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Quadratic Growth Patterns
|p = 143450
|author = dani
|date = March 27, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post143132">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Quadratic Growth Patterns
|p = 143132
|author = dani
|date = March 20, 2022
}}</ref>
<ref name="post215062">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|p = 215062
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = July 25, 2025
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/syntheses Catagolue synthesis database]
* {{LinkNiemiec|lifepage.htm|title=Mark Niemiec's glider synthesis database}}
* [https://conwaylife.com/ref/DRH/life.html Dean Hickerson's Life page] with four pages of glider syntheses
* [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=46552#p46552 Martin Grant's synthesis component database], version 3
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20210716021110/http://pentadecathlon.com/constructions/components/components.php Heinrich Koenig's component catalog] on [[Game of Life News|pentadecathlon.com]]
* {{LinkLexicon|lex_g.htm#glidersynthesis}}

=== Forum threads ===
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=3267|title=Still Life Synthesis Thread}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1155|title=Synthesising Oscillators}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1557|title=Small Spaceship Syntheses}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=3960|title=Soup-based syntheses}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=4257|title=Randomly enumerating glider syntheses}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=1394|title=4 glider syntheses}}
* {{LinkForumThread|f=2|t=4063|title=Synthesis components}}

[[Category:Synthesis| ]]
[[Category:Lists of patterns with synthesis costs]]

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-02T21:43:20Z

Dvgrn: ... reduce the number of verb tenses ...

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 1-2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produces a 168-glider construction recipe the same day, reduced to 129 gliders the next day.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-02T21:42:01Z

Dvgrn: mention 129G lobster synthesis

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 1''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; a collaborative effort produced a 168-glider construction recipe, reduced to 129 gliders the next day.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Lobster

2026-06-01T19:29:51Z

Dvgrn: there is no uploaded synthesis RLE, at least at the moment -- might as well dodge the 404 error

{{Spaceship
|name = Lobster
|pname = lobster
|c = 83
|bx = 26
|by = 26
|dir = Diagonal
|p = 7
|m = 7
|s = c/7
|z = c/7
|h = 81.7
|symmetry = /
|discoverer = Matthias Merzenich
|discoveryear = 2011
|rulemin = B3/S23
|rulemax = B38/S2378
|isorulemin = B3/S23
|isorulemax = B2i35ei6ein7e8/S234ce5cky6-an78
|synthesis = 168
|plaintext = true
|rle = true
|animated = true
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 18 GPS 4 TRACKLOOP 7 -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|apgcode = xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzy4cc0j6mzy831
}}
'''Lobster''' is a [[c/7 diagonal]] [[spaceship]] that was discovered by [[Matthias Merzenich]] on August 19, {{year|2011}}.<ref name="post4983" /> It was the first c/7 diagonal spaceship to be found. It consists of two gliders pulling a tagalong-like object that then rephases them. It can be infinitely extended, with its wings used as [[pushalong]]s<ref>{{LinkGoLNews|2011/08/new_spaceship_velocity.html|title=New spaceship velocity|author=Adam P. Goucher|date=August 26, 2011}}</ref><ref name="post5006" /> It can also burn through one or two rows of blocks.

{{POTY|year=2011|rank=1|tie=the [[fully universal Turing machine]]}}
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 45, y = 35, rule = B3/S23
11b3o$11bo$2o2bobo5bo2b2o$obob2o9b2o$o4bo2bo2b2o$6bo5b2o$2b2o7bo2bo$2b
2o$13bo16b3o$20b3o7bo$20bo10bo2b2o$9b2o2bobo5bo2b2o8b2o$9bobob2o9b2o4b
2o$9bo4bo2bo2b2o9b2o$15bo5b2o7bo2bo$11b2o7bo2bo$11b2o19bo2bo$22bo9bo3b
o$33b3obo$38bo$18b2o2bobo13bo$18bobob2o13bo$18bo4bo2b2o13b2o$24bo3bo6b
2o2b2o2bo$20b2o6bo6bo2bo$20b2o4bobo4b2o$27bo5bo3bo3bo$28bo2bo4b2o$29b
2o3bo5bobo$33bo8b2o$33bo4bo$32bo3bo$32bo5b2o$33bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = Multiple copies of a pushalong supported by Lobster<ref name="post5006" />
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 44, y = 41, rule = B3/S23
2o$2o2$3b2o$3b2o2$6b2o$6b2o2$9b2o$9b2o2$12b2o$12b2o2$15b2o13b3o$15b2o
13bo$31bo2b2o$18b2o14b2o$18b2o10b2o$31b2o$21b2o7bo2bo$21b2o$32bo2bo$32b
o3bo$33b3obo$38bo$18b2o2bobo13bo$18bobob2o13bo$18bo4bo2b2o13b2o$24bo3b
o6b2o2b2o2bo$20b2o6bo6bo2bo$20b2o4bobo4b2o$27bo5bo3bo3bo$28bo2bo4b2o$
29b2o3bo5bobo$33bo8b2o$33bo4bo$32bo3bo$32bo5b2o$33bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART T 0 PAUSE 1 T 126 PAUSE 1 LOOP 127 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A lobster can burn through diagonally placed blocks<ref name="post172206" />
|style = width:300px;
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}
== Tagalongs ==
On April 12, 2025, [[iNoMed]] found a [[tagalong]] for the lobster, based on a spaceship partial rediscovered by [[Shuich01]]. It can be added to one or both 'pincers'.<ref name="post209777" />

With B4k (in {{rl|4K Life}}), this tagalong is a self-sustaining 11-cell spaceship known as the tubber, and was discovered no later than in a Catagolue haul by 77topaz on May 15, 2018.
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 33, y = 26, rule = B3/S23
19b3o$19bo$20bo2b2o$23b2o$19b2o$20b2o$19bo2bo2$21bo2bo$21bo3bo$22b3obo
$27bo$7b2o2bobo13bo$7bobob2o13bo$7bo4bo2b2o13b2o$13bo3bo6b2o2b2o2bo$9b
2o6bo6bo2bo$9b2o4bobo4b2o$5bo10bo5bo3bo3bo$5bo11bo2bo4b2o$bobo2b2o10b
2o3bo5bobo$2o6b3o11bo8b2o$o2bobo3b2o11bo4bo$bo19bo3bo$21bo5b2o$22bo5bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 600 WIDTH 600 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = A lobster with the tagalong attached.
|style = width:300px;
|apgcode = xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzxkkowcc0j6mzy0b3cy131zx567
}}}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 8, y = 6, rule = B34k/S23
5bo$5bo$bobo2b2o$2o$o2bobo$bo!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ HEIGHT 420 THUMBSIZE 4 ZOOM 32 GPS 8 AUTOSTART LOOP 7 TRACK -1/7 -1/7 ]]
|position = center
|caption = The tubber, a spaceship in B34k/S23
|style = width:200px;
|apgcode = xq7_6150a6e/b34ks23
}}}}
{{gallery bottom}}

== Synthesis ==
In May {{year|2026}}, [[TigerCub414]] made progress on a synthesis of lobster.<ref name="post228518"/><ref name="post228954"/> Prior to lobster having a known synthesis, [[Goldtiger997]] found ways to attach the wing pushalong and tubber tagalong to lobster.<ref name="post228972"/> On June 1, Goldtiger997 completed a final synthesis step,<ref name="post229315"/> and over the course of the day a collaborative effort by [[Chris857]], [[iNoMed]], [[KtT]], and [[vilc]] completed the synthesis.<ref name="post229331"/>

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post4983">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = c/7 diagonal spaceship
|p = 4983
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = August 19, 2011
}}</ref>
<ref name="post5006">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title = Re: c/7 diagonal spaceship
|p = 5006
|author = Matthias Merzenich
|date = August 20, 2011
}}</ref>
<ref name="post172206">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 172206
|title = Re: Thread For Your Accidental Discoveries
|author = qqd
|date = November 29, 2023
}}</ref>
<ref name="post209777">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 209777
|title = Re: Spaceship Discussion Thread
|author = iNoMed
|date = April 12, 2025
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228518">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228518
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = TigerCub414
|date = May 9, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228954">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228954
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = TigerCub414
|date = May 22, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228972">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228972
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = May 23, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229315">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229315
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = Goldtiger997
|date = June 1, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post229331">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 229331
|title = Re: Small Spaceship Syntheses
|author = vilc
|date = June 1, 2026
}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* {{LinkLexicon|lex_l.htm#lobster|name=Lobster}}
* {{LinkCatagolue|xq7_ggg0774wguez1130g06mgcc403ju4y1ooz03331oo31gy112w62ec0ac4zy213111igzy4cc0j6mzy831|patternname=Lobster}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-01T19:04:11Z

Dvgrn: mention completion of lobster synth

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 1''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; within a day a collaborative effort produced a 168-glider construction recipe.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Template:CurrentNews

2026-06-01T05:12:50Z

Dvgrn: Goldtiger997 completes the key final stage of a lobster synthesis

<noinclude>[[Category:Main page templates]]
</noinclude>
* '''June 1''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=229315#p229315 completes] the critical final-stage synthesis of a [[lobster]] spaceship via an almost completely diagonally symmetric collision between 39 gliders and a 175-bit [[still life]] [[constellation]]; this is a long-awaited solution to the trickiest part of a very difficult synthesis challenge.
* '''May 17''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228795#p228795 builds] a maximally Golly-friendly [[self-synchronized linear replicator]], speed 256c/1048576, bounding box {{times|65676|65520}}, minimum population 16702; each new child copy is precisely in sync with the parent.
* '''May 15''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228702#p228702 discovers] a new record smallest p116 oscillator that hassles the object seen in [[Karel's p177]].
* '''May 14''': [[hibiscus]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228687#p228687 posts] a 208-glider [[synthesis]] of the smallest known [[solifuge]] spaceship variant, minimum population 1414.
* '''May 11-12''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228569#p228569 reduces] the [[Orion 2]] synthesis from 54 gliders to 31 gliders. Based on this, [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228592#p228592 completes] the first synthesis of [[Orion]] in 67 gliders, which is subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228612#p228612 reduced] by [[vilc]] and [[KtT]] to 55 gliders.
* '''May 8''': [[lumi]] completes [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228460#p228460 another large reduction] in linear propagator design, from February's 83K-cell design down to only 12372 cells, building on recent universal-constructor optimization work by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]].
* '''May 8''': [[vilc]] uses [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228452#p228452 98 gliders] to synthesize [[36P3H1V0.2]], which had been one of the four smallest spaceships with no known glider synthesis.
* '''May 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] completes a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228444#p228444 new series of 90-degree periodic reflectors] using an [[octomino II]]-to-glider [[converter]] found by [[Anivec]] and pointed out by [[Timelord Missionary]].

{{#ifeq:{{{nolinks|false}}}|true||

<div style="width: 100%; text-align: right">'''[[Template:CurrentNews/editcopy|Editable news item submissions page]] • [[LifeWiki:News archive|Archive]] •</div>}}

Oncoming glider gun construction arm

2026-05-19T20:00:25Z

Dvgrn: standardize capitalization in links (e.g., "Simkin Glider Gun" points to a redirect page)

{{stub}}
{{Glossary}}
An '''oncoming glider gun construction arm''' is a highly efficient [[universal construction]] mechanism invented in 2026 by [[russellsprouts]] and [[inductivetype]]. In the technique, a [[single-channel]] stream of recipe gliders collides with the oncoming output of a glider gun. The most studied variant uses a p120 [[Simkin glider gun]] and a lane offset of 5. This variant can send slow salvos with an efficiency of around 3 fast gliders per slow glider.

The oncoming stream of gun gliders could be seen as a steady stream of moving elbows. An elbow "pull" simply requires delaying a recipe until the gliders to advance to the desired location. An elbow "push" (aka ''swimming upstream'') consumes one or more gun gliders to target ones further back.

It can also be seen as a special case of [[armless]] construction. Armless construction uses two recipe streams colliding in the same way as in the oncoming glider gun construction arm. Armless construction gives more freedom of movement — either recipe can delay to push or pull freely. It also has more degrees of freedom which may lead to more efficient recipes, since both sides of the recipe can be adjusted. However, with the oncoming glider gun technique, the circuitry for one of the recipes can be replaced with a much simpler glider gun pattern and there's no need to route or clone the second recipe. This leads to easier bootstrapping and compatibility with other [[single-channel]] technology.

==Simkin gun-based arm==
The Simkin glider gun has several advantages that make it useful for oncoming glider gun construction:

* Simple and easy to construct.
* Not too fast — recipe gliders may have a hard time swimming upstream against the similarly small [[Gosper's glider gun]], especially if the recipe is limited by the 90 tick repeat time of a [[Scorbie Splitter]].
* Not too slow — recipes can be spaced closer together and interact with multiple gun gliders without taking too much time.

A single-channel recipe has been found which can construct a (messy) oncoming Simkin glider gun from a [[Single-channel#Alternate_targets|standard pi-producing elbow block]] using only 67 gliders with a minimum repeat time of 90 ticks. The recipe produces a gun with 5-lane offset for the oncoming gliders. This pattern can be reduced back to a block with 19 gliders.

==Theory==

When two gliders collide head on at a specific lane offset, there are up to 5 unique patterns generated, and they repeat every 8 ticks of delay. See [[2-glider collision]] for a table of all 180 degree collisions.

{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 152, y = 29, rule = LifeHistory
2$4.A19.A19.A19.A19.A19.A19.A19.A$5.A19.A19.A19.A19.A19.A19.A19.A$3.
3A17.3A17.3A17.3A17.3A17.3A17.3A17.3A3$2.3A18.2A18.2A19.A$2.A19.2A19.
A.A17.2A18.3A18.2A18.2A19.A$3.A20.A18.A19.A.A17.A19.2A19.A.A17.2A$84.
A20.A18.A19.A.A6$4.3D18.D18.3D17.3D17.D.D17.3D17.3D17.3D$4.D.D17.2D
20.D19.D17.D.D17.D19.D21.D$4.D.D18.D18.3D17.3D17.3D17.3D17.3D19.D$4.D
.D18.D18.D21.D19.D19.D17.D.D18.D$4.3D17.3D17.3D17.3D19.D17.2D18.3D18.
D3$102.D.3D.D.D11.D.3D.D.D11.D2.D.D.D$101.D4.D.D2.D9.D4.D.D2.D9.D2.2D
.D2.D$101.D2.3D4.D9.D2.3D4.D9.D3.D4.D$101.D4.D4.D9.D2.D6.D9.D3.D4.D$
102.D.3D3.D11.D.3D3.D11.D.3D2.D!

|viewerconfig = #C [[ THEME 10 ]]
|position = center
|caption = The 8 reactions for a 5 lane offset. Note that patterns 5, 6, and 7 are rotated versions of 3, 2, and 1 due to rotational symmetry. Delays of 8, 9, ... 15 will repeat this sequence, but shifted by one [[full diagonal]], and so on.
}}

Preliminary searches show that there are usable glider recipes in each offset from 1 to 6 (gliders with 0 offset will simply delete each other in at most 6 ticks), but the most studied is the 5 lane offset.

The 5 lane offset has the "180 degree kickback" reaction labeled 2 above. It sends a glider back towards the gun gliders with a 1 lane offset. With a p120 glider stream, the 1 lane offset happens to delete the next gun glider as well. This gives a convenient way to swim upstream -- one glider with 2 (mod 8) spacing will consume two gun gliders. Assuming a minimum follow distance of 90 ticks, this lets you use one glider to push up to 19fd.

===Glider color and parity===

With a p120 glider stream, recipes can only be used at a specific lane every 120 ticks, and can only be shifted in [[full diagonal]] amounts. This means that each 90 degree glider recipe has a fixed [[Glider#Colour_of_a_glider|color and parity]]. To send arbitrary slow salvos, you need need a separate recipe for each color and phase in the direction you want to send gliders.

{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 808, y = 257, rule = LifeHistory
32$196.A.A197.A.A197.A.A$197.2A198.2A198.2A$197.A199.A199.A28$26.A.A
197.A.A197.A.A197.A.A$27.2A198.2A198.2A198.2A$27.A199.A199.A199.A28$
56.A.A197.A.A197.A.A197.A.A$57.2A198.2A198.2A198.2A$57.A199.A199.A
199.A28$86.A.A197.A.A197.A.A197.A.A$87.2A198.2A198.2A198.2A$87.A199.A
199.A199.A2$86.2A198.2A198.2A198.2A$86.A.A197.A.A197.A.A197.A.A$86.A
199.A199.A199.A2$89.3D6.D2.3D.3D5.3D.3D169.3D5.3D2.D2.3D5.3D.3D169.3D
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9.D.D.D171.D5.D3.D.D2.D184.D6.D4.D3.D6.D2.D3.D9.D3.D$89.3D5.3D.3D.3D
5.3D.3D169.3D5.3D.3D.3D5.3D.3D169.3D5.3D.3D.3D181.3D5.3D.2D2.3D5.3D.
3D.3D5.3D.2D18$111.3A$111.A$112.A12$726.2A$725.2A$727.A6$134.2A$134.A
.A$134.A402.A$536.2A$536.A.A$339.2A$339.A.A$339.A15$757.A$756.2A$756.
A.A5$363.2A$363.A.A$363.A15$780.2A$780.A.A$780.A!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THEME 10 ]]
|position = center
|caption = 4 sample recipes for a 5 lane offset and p120 glider stream. These form a complete set of color and parity (assuming p2 targets)
}}

==Gallery==
{{gallery top}}
{{gallery item|{{EmbedViewer
|rle = x = 2088, y = 2085, rule = B3/S23
2o$2o2b3o$4bo$5bo29$36b2o$36bobo$36bo24$61b3o$61bo$62bo23$86b3o$86bo$
87bo46$136bo$135b2o$135bobo21$158b2o$157b2o$159bo21$180b3o$180bo$181bo
21$205bo$204b2o$204bobo23$229b2o$228b2o$230bo24$255b2o$255bobo$255bo
21$277b3o$277bo$278bo23$303b2o$302b2o$304bo33$338b2o$338bobo$338bo22$
361b3o$361bo$362bo37$402bo$401b2o$401bobo21$425bo$424b2o$424bobo35$
461b2o$460b2o$462bo23$485b3o$485bo$486bo20$508b2o$508bobo$508bo36$546b
2o$546bobo$546bo33$581b2o$580b2o$582bo34$617b2o$616b2o$618bo21$640b2o$
639b2o$641bo38$680b2o$680bobo$680bo31$713b2o$712b2o$714bo27$742b2o$
741b2o$743bo23$767b2o$767bobo$767bo27$795b3o$795bo$796bo25$824bo$823b
2o$823bobo26$852bo$851b2o$851bobo22$874b3o$874bo$875bo29$907bo$906b2o$
906bobo23$931b2o$930b2o$932bo23$957bo$956b2o$956bobo27$985b2o$984b2o$
986bo25$1011b3o$1011bo$1012bo37$1051b2o$1050b2o$1052bo20$1074bo$1073b
2o$1073bobo21$1096b2o$1095b2o$1097bo20$1119bo$1118b2o$1118bobo21$1141b
2o$1141bobo$1141bo21$1164b2o$1163b2o$1165bo59$1224b3o$1224bo$1225bo26$
1253b2o$1252b2o$1254bo33$1287b3o$1287bo$1288bo25$1314b3o$1314bo$1315bo
21$1339bo$1338b2o$1338bobo30$1370b2o$1370bobo$1370bo28$1401bo$1400b2o$
1400bobo23$1425b2o$1425bobo$1425bo62$1490bo$1489b2o$1489bobo34$1526bo$
1525b2o$1525bobo22$1549b2o$1548b2o$1550bo52$1604bo$1603b2o$1603bobo35$
1641bo$1640b2o$1640bobo55$1697b2o$1696b2o$1698bo26$1724b3o$1724bo$
1725bo27$1755bo$1754b2o$1754bobo23$1780bo$1779b2o$1779bobo22$1803b2o$
1803bobo$1803bo21$1826b2o$1825b2o$1827bo32$1861bo$1860b2o$1860bobo49$
1910b3o$1910bo$1911bo53$1966b2o$1965b2o$1967bo52$2020b2o$2019b2o$2021b
o32$2055bo$2054b2o$2054bobo30$2085b3o$2085bo$2086bo!
|caption = Single-channel construction of a 5-lane offset oncoming Simkin glider gun in 67 gliders.
}}}}

{{gallery bottom}}

Self-synchronized linear replicator

2026-05-19T19:58:33Z

Dvgrn: link to new name of mechanism, oncoming glider gun construction arm

{{Puffer
|name = Self-synchronized linear replicator
|pname = selfsynchronizedlinearreplicator
|c = 16702
|bx = 65676
|by = 65520
|dir = Orthogonal
|p = 1048576
|s = 256c/1048576
|discoverer = lumi
|discoveryear = 2026
|rulemin = B3/S23
|rulemax = B3/S23
|isorulemin = B3/S23
|isorulemax = B3/S23
|mc = true
|rle = true

}}
'''Self-synchronized linear replicator''' is a [[single-channel]] [[universal constructor]] pattern assembled by lumi with help from [[inductivetype]] and [[russellsprouts]], and posted on May 17, {{year|2026}}.<ref name="post228795" /> Nine days previous, lumi had published a similar single-channel linear propagator design, but it was much less [[HashLife]]-friendly because each child replicator was created in a different phase from its parent.<ref name="post228460" /> That pattern in turn was a rebuild of an initial much larger design completed back in February {{year|2026}}.<ref name="post225566" />

The design took inspiration from the 2013 [[linear propagator]], but is heavily based on modern construction techniques.

==Design details==
The design is comprised of a permanent glider memory loop consisting of custom [[reflector]]s, a custom [[glider duplicator]], and three [[Snark]]s. This circuitry creates two carefully rephased glider outputs. The timing of the first output allows the memory loop's period to be adjusted to a power of two. The second output can be reflected with another temporary Snark to put the copied gliders into exactly the same phase as the original gliders, shifted by 256 cells horizontally. This means that, unlike in the original linear propagator, each child replicator will be precisely synchronized with its parent.

The circuitry was mostly designed by inductivetype based on lumi's specifications. Also unlike the 2013 linear propagator, the construction is purely [[single-channel]], with both the circuit construction and recipe insertion happening on the same lane.

Like the May 8th design, this replicator uses the [[oncoming glider gun construction arm]] invented by russellsprouts and inductivetype in {{year|2026}}, which makes possible a huge improvement in construction efficiency over the original [[linear propagator]]. russellsprouts' hyperoptimized [[Snarkmaker]], also from 2026, is used to build the temporary Snark for inserting the child recipe.

To qualify as a true self-replicating pattern, a linear propagator has to remain undamaged and capable of creating another child in future cycles, if the first constructed child is somehow removed. For the new design it was necessary to include an edgy eater seed directly on the single channel lane, to block each parent from attempting to construct additional child replicators in the same location as the first child. Using russellsprouts' large database of direct still life construction recipes, lumi combined three such recipes to form the seed in just 14 fast gliders.

The temporary Snark that is used for inserting the copied recipe has to be partially destroyed at the right time, after it has completed its work of filling the memory loop, but before the inserted recipe completes a full loop. This is accomplished with a series of [[one-time turner]]s, similar to the single-use switching circuitry in many other self-constructing patterns.

Unlike the previous design, the construction is two-sided, with both NE and SW salvos. The recipe glider stream just barely fits in a p524288 glider loop.

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="post225566">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 225566
|title = Single-channel linear propagator
|author = lumi
|date = February 16, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228460">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228460
|title = Re: Single-channel linear propagator
|author = lumi
|date = May 8, 2026
}}</ref>
<ref name="post228795">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|p = 228795
|title = Re: Single-channel linear propagator
|author = lumi
|date = May 18, 2026
}}</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Universal constructors]]

LifeWiki:News archive

2026-05-19T19:57:07Z

Dvgrn: /* 2026 */ link to Oncoming glider gun construction arm

The following is a list of past news items that ran on the [[Main Page]].

==Current news==
The [[Template:CurrentNews|following news items]] are currently live on the [[Main Page]]:
{{CurrentNews|nolinks=true}}
==2026==
* '''April 30''' [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1849&p=228477#p228230 finds] a new stable G-to-X -- a [[glider]] to [[R-pentomino]] [[converter]] with a [[repeat time]] of 194 ticks.
* '''April 25''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=228088#p228078 constructs] the first [[oblique]] [[sawtooth spaceship]].
* '''April 24''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=228048#p228048 posts] the first in a series of [[Demonoid]] spaceships with four-digit populations, radically smaller than any previous design, due to the hyper-optimized Snarkmaker and further contributions by [[russellsprouts]]; a major improvement is a [[Oncoming glider gun construction arm|completely new mechanism]] for a much more efficient [[construction arm]] than the standard [[single-channel]] design, using a temporary [[Simkin glider gun]] to produce slow salvos with less than three input gliders per output glider on average.
* '''April 9''': [[russellsprouts]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=227620#p227620 publishes] a hyper-optimized [[single-channel]] [[Snarkmaker]] recipe consisting of just 266 gliders -- nearly an order of magnitude improvement over the previous standard 2428-glider recipe that has been used in many [[self-constructing]] patterns.
* '''March 17''': [[ElijahKen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=226884#p226884 uses slmake] to assemble two [[self-constructing]] [[oblique spaceship]]s, an ibisship and a flamingoship, with [[single-channel]] construction recipes and a much simpler design than the original [[Gemini]] ibisship; the flamingoship is the first ship constructed in Conway's Life with a (6m,m) offset.
* '''February 22''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225881#p225881 constructs] a gun for [[25P3H1V0.1]] using a sparker-assisted synthesis requiring only 12 gliders.
* '''February 21''': [[siffrin normal]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225892#p225892 discovers] a new smallest period-103 oscillator, [[Siffrin's p103]], in a [[D4_x4]]-symmetric soup. With a minimum population of 68 cells, this is over 100 cells smaller than the [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xp103_yzyzyv33y58e1e88gzyzyzyzy3330311ybckzyzyzyz03224e6y725acy165lozyzyzylgs2552ypggzyzyzyxo8a6yf11zyzyzyma64y8742zzzzzyzyz4kcy86c2zzzzzyzy9gcoy8ca8zzzzzymg8oy88okzyo1ok46zy433ypg88ge2z6a8oy1ck8gy7os8gggy611z0bdy41y4g0ggy11zyd255t0t5y5ggzyh1y711/b3s23 previous record holder]. It is also the first known engine-based oscillator of this period, as well as the first to occur [[seminatural]]ly.
* '''February 20''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225769#p225769 discovers] a pre-pulsar-to-Herschel converter that can be combined with an older pulsar [[factory]] by [[Luke Kiernan]] to create a new Herschel conduit, R338. [[Jormungant]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225790#p225790 finds] a way to remove an awkward outbound glider by colliding it with the [[first natural block]] of the output Herschel, allowing many more connections to this conduit than would otherwise be possible.
* '''February 19''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225700#p225700 monomerizes] a [[T-nose]]d period-9 sparker found by [[siffrin normal]] on February 11. [[iNoMed]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225703#p225703 reduces] the size of the period-27 glider gun using this new sparker.
* '''February 16''': [[lumi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225566#p225566 designs and assembles] a working [[single-channel]] [[linear propagator]], with a bounding box less than 1/17th of the size (in each dimension) of the original 2013 linear propagator, with population somewhat lower also -- 83477 cells in many of the phases.
* '''February 9''': [[Evin]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225211#p225211 posts] two versions of a record-breaking "[[SlowSilver Demonoid]]", considerably smaller in bounding box and population than the previous smallest Demonoid, the [[0hd Demonoid]]; [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=225193#p225193 produces] a version of the first SlowSilver Demonoid with a reduced bounding box.
* '''January 30''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224802#p224802 produces] a smaller unidimensional spaceship with a 776,525,415-cell bounding box, and a slightly higher velocity of 2c/27735693820; the previous version had length 795,435,669 and speed 2c/28409785756. [[I6_I6]] posted a 3,980,418-glider synthesis [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224804#p224804 the same day].
* '''January 18-24''': [[David Bell]] uses the new period-10 spaceship to construct [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224491#p224491 the first period-10 c/2 rake] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224234#p224234 multiple] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224390#p224390 families] of puffers, completing the collection of c/2 puffers with every possible multiple-of-10 period.
* '''January 18''': [[I6_I6]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224181#p224181 constructs] a gun for [[70P2H1V0.1]]. This is the first gun that fires a period-2 spaceship.
* ''' January 13-14''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223977#p223977 discovers] a new period-10 c/2 spaceship with a significant side spark. [[Hartmut Holzwart]] subsequently finds [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223993#p223993 low population] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=224036#p224036 high-clearance] variants.
* '''January 11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223859#p223859 constructs] [[silk moth]], a (15,11)c/107 caterpillar-type spaceship using a reaction in which an [[I-heptomino]] non-destructively crawls along a glider wave while emitting an extra glider and leaving behind a block.
* '''January 10''': [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223840#p223840 discovers] a new H-to-R [[conduit]], HL150R, with a repeat time of 108 ticks.
* '''January 4''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223596#p223596 constructs] a [[Unidimensional spaceship 2|significantly reduced unidimensional spaceship]] that is over 4 times smaller and 4 times faster than the original.
* '''January 1''': The [[much smaller (34,7)c/156 spaceship]] wins the 2024 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition.

==2025==
* '''December 27''': A five-month-long collaboration concludes when [[vilc]] successfully [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223246#p223246 synthesizes] the final 23-bit [[still life]] for which no glider synthesis was known; a recipe is now available for all 1,646,147 [[strict still life]]s with 23 bits.
* '''December 23''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223059#p223059 assembles] [[giraffe weevil]], a [[self-supporting]] (28,7)c/448 [[giraffeship]], using a spine made of xWSS convoys that are arranged to release a glider whenever they encounter a block, while moving the block by (7,-28); this mechanism supports limited [[slow salvo]] construction equivalent to the arrangements of loaves in a [[Caterloopillar]], but allows for oblique rather than orthogonal travel.
* '''December 20-21''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222948#p222948 builds] two [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=223006#p223006 "fleet puller"] [[growing spaceship]]s, where the tail end pulls a [[fleet]] along with it two diagonal steps at a time, if the fleet is present; otherwise a blinker is alternately created and destroyed.
* '''December 19''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222911#p222911 constructs] a very compact [[traffic jam]] signal injector based on the [[syringe]], with the same low [[repeat time]] (78 ticks, overclockable to 74 ticks but not 75 since traffic jam wicks are period 2).
* '''December 17-19''': [[qqd]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222856#p222856 creates] a stable [[Heisenburp]] device with a repeat time of 837 ticks that can detect passing [[solifuge]] spaceships -- or [[waterbear]]s or other oblique spaceships that use the same technology to turn LWSS streams 90 degrees at a corner. ElijahKen subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222920#p222920 reduces] the [[repeat time]] to 597 ticks.
* '''December 14-21''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222700#p222700 discovers] a "wave minstrel", a [[(2,1)c/6]] [[tagalong]] for [[Sir Robin]] that supports a connection to [[knightwave]] -- followed a week later by [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222977#p222977 another] completely new [[minstrel]]; these are the first new minstrel tagalongs since the [[baby minstrel]] appeared in {{year|2023}}. Both of them are tagalongs to the wandering minstrel, with initial sections that are different from each other and also from the connecting minstrel.
* '''December 10''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222522#p222522 builds] a [[stable]] MWSS-to-HWSS [[hammer]] (a device made only from stable circuitry that converts an MWSS directly into an HWSS) in response to a construction challenge.
* '''December 10''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222545#p222545 builds] an "exponentially spaced binary counter" in response to a construction challenge.
* '''December 9''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222483#p222483 constructs] a gun for a [[solifuge]] variant based on glider syntheses by [[hibiscus]], [[iNoMed]], and Goldtiger997. This is by far the smallest known gun for an [[oblique spaceship]].
* '''December 2-7''': [[Nora Brown]] constructs "[[solifuge]]" camelships with greatly reduced [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222287#p222287 bounding box] (with [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222342#p222342 slight additional reduction] by [[Elijah Ken]]) and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222422#p222422 population] using improved (12,4)c/62 technology; the new designs fit inside a minimal bounding box of {{times|315|287}} and have a minimum population of 1415 respectively.
* '''December 2''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=222136#p222136 completes] a [[Unidimensional spaceship 1|unidimensional spaceship]] with a speed of 2c/133076755768 and a bounding box of {{times|1|3707300605}} based on preliminary work by many other contributors.
* '''December 1''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7111 voting begins] for the [[Pattern of the Year]] 2024 competition. Users have until the end of December to cast their votes.
* '''November 30''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=222000#p222000 constructs] a complete [[self-supporting]] [[Solifuge|(12,4)c/62 spaceship]], named "solifuge", based on an oblique [[crawler]] made up of four copies of a versatile [[LOM]]-based reaction; the spaceship is a tiny fraction of the size of previously known [[camelship]]s.
* '''November 29''': [[branoc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221972#p221972 builds] a new "B2D" unit -- a two-dimensional memory storage mechanism used by [[APGsembly]]-based calculators -- using components from [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214963#p214963 enofet's design] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214883#p214883 EvinZL's boat reactions].
* '''November 28''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221926#p221926 completes] the first-ever signal loop containing a segment of 5c/9 wire, combining previous discoveries by [[Extrementhusiast]], [[Simon Ekström]], and [[Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''November 24''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221791#p221791 updates] the original [[Thessalonic Demonoid]] to be fully Thessalonic (circuitry entirely made from eaters and blocks, with no temporary Snarks at any stage).
* '''November 18''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221591#p221591 discovers] a period-14 [[pipsquirter]] using a [[drifter]] reaction by [[Adam P. Goucher]].
* '''November 1-11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220821#p220821 confirms] that [[70P5H2V0]] is the only strict, symmetric, even-width, period-5 2c/5 orthogonal spaceship up to 70 cells, simultaneously showing that [[30P5H2V0]] and [[34P5H2V0]] are the only period-5 2c/5 orthogonal spaceships up to 35 cells. Amling later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221244#p221244 extends] these results to show that there are exactly three symmetric, even-width, period-5 2c/5 spaceships up to 74 cells and no additional period-5 2c/5 spaceships up to 37 cells.
* '''November 5''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=221123#p221123 discovers] [[Hilton's p66]] via D8_1-symmetric [[apgsearch]]. This is the first period-66 oscillator to occur [[seminatural]]ly
* '''November 3''': [[qqd]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220926#p220926 finds] a direct conversion mechanism using only stable [[catalyst]]s, with a [[glider]] input and [[traffic jam]] output.
* '''October 27''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220431#p220431 confirms] that [[mazing]] and [[mold]] are the only period-4 oscillators up to 17 cells.
* '''October 26''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220366#p220366 discovers] a period-2 Rx130 [[Herschel conduit]] using only catalysts more [[Most_common_objects_on_Catagolue|common]] than [[eater 1]] and constructs a common-catalyst Herschel loop using this new conduit along with [[R64]], [[sidesnagger]], and a boat-and-toad glider eater.
* '''October 26''': The [[Golly Gang]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220354#p220354 releases] Golly 5.0.
* '''October 22-26''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://gitlab.com/mvr2/apgmera/-/commit/a6b0dff94cd8fe786ebf859cb742e5d2b6a2a35b implements] the remaining GPU symmetries for [[apgsearch]] (fourfold rotational and all reflectional types with diagonal lines of symmetry). Using this, [[siffrin normal]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220358#p220358 discovers] new oscillators of periods 7 and 8.
* '''October 23''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220160#p220160 substantially improves] a heuristic originally developed by [[Mitchell Riley]] for quickly identifying [[ash]] patterns containing objects from a desired list without triggering false positives from common objects.
* '''October 20''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=220019#p220019 completes] a period-3 [[bouncer]] based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]]. This is the first fast period-3 [[colour-changing]] reflector to be found.
* '''October 18''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219897#p219897 completes] a [[Thessalonic Demonoid]], the first self-constructing spaceship with permanent circuitry that consists only of eaters and blocks.
* '''October 17''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219840#p219840 discovers] a small period-4 HWSS-to-B-heptomino converter and uses this to construct a compact period-8 HWSS reflector.
* '''October 5-13''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219697#p219697 confirms] that the [[glider]], [[crab]], and [[wings]] are the only period-4 c/4 diagonal spaceships up to 27 cells.
* '''October 9''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219505#p219505 discovers] a 6-glider [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for [[fuse with two long tails]], proving that every 12-bit still life can be synthesised with 6 or fewer gliders.
* '''October 4''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219224#p219224 confirms] that [[pseudo-barberpole]] is the only period-5 oscillator up to 15 cells.
* '''October 4''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=219193#p219193 builds] a [[sawtooth]] pattern with a new front-end speed, [[c/8 diagonal]], based on two streams of gliders from c/12 forward rakes repeatedly catching up to a [[walrus]].
* '''September 23-October 4''': [[PK22]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218791#p218791 constructs] [[gliderless]] guns for [[LWSS on HWSS 3]], [[MWSS on MWSS 1]], [[Coe ship]], [[loafer]], and [[2-engine Cordership]]. These are the first known gliderless guns for non-[[standard spaceship|standard]] spaceships.
* '''September 26''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218702#p218702 builds] a [[splitter]] for a specific triplet of gliders with a [[repeat time]] of 57, one tick smaller than the record set by Entity Valkyrie on September 7.
* '''September 21''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=218322#p218322 produces] the first known gliderless [[sawtooth]] pattern, involving streams of [[LWSS]] pairs chasing a [[turtle]].
* '''September 2-15''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217959#p217959 further reduces] the [[Leaf_bug_2#Gun|leaf bug]] gun to a bounding box of {{times|82,038|71,679}}, which is more than an order of magnitude reduction in each dimension relative to the original design.
* '''September 10''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217747#p217747 discovers] SW28T249, a new and surprisingly simple [[Spartan]] Herschel-to-glider [[converter]] with a [[repeat time]] of 249 ticks.
* '''September 7''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=217567#p217567 constructs] a stable duplicator for the LWSS-on-LWSS [[pseudo]]-spaceship with a repeat time of 58 ticks. This is now the lowest known repeat time for a stable duplicator of a moving object or pseudo-object, being 3 ticks lower than [[speed tunnel]]-based glider duplicators.
* '''August 29''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=216920#p216920 reduces] the [[leaf bug 2#Gun|leaf bug gun]] from a bounding box of {{times|1,097,252|829,150}} to a bounding box of {{times|124,834|117,922}}.
* '''August 18-22''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7031 starts a new thread] to track the remaining unsynthesized 23-bit strict still lifes. Progress is being made with a mix of approaches (e.g., new custom components to convert an already synthesized still life to one of the target forms, and also adaptations of soup-search results). An early list of 591 unsolved still lifes was reduced to below 450 as of August 22, and to 222 by September 10.
* '''August 14''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=216063#p216063 constructs] a gun for a variant of [[leaf bug 2]]. This is the first gun to fire a 31c/240 orthogonal spaceship.
* '''August 10''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215877#p215877 discovers] three closely related 2c/7 orthogonal spaceships, two of them bilaterally symmetric, based on a front end by [[shuich01]]. In terms of their {{times|23|28}} bounding box, they are tied as the third smallest known 2c/7 spaceships, after [[weekender]] and [[doo-dah]].
* '''August 5''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215632#p215632 further reduces] the repeat time of the [[2c/3 wire|2c/3]] receiver to 504 ticks.
* '''August 1-2''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215428#p215428 reduces] the repeat time of the [[2c/3 wire|2c/3]] receiver to 629 ticks using a new emitter which releases a glider and a [[Herschel]]; [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215500#p215500 the next day], [[Entity Valkyrie 2]] improves the repeat time to 570.
* '''July 26''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] and [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215098#p215098 complete] a synthesis of a 15WSS supported by [[pushalong 1]]. This is the longest [[overweight spaceship]] flotilla synthesized so far.
* '''July 24''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215056#p215056 completes] a proof that all [[overweight spaceship]] flotillas consisting of a single overweight spaceship supported on each side by a single [[standard spaceship]] can be synthesised. This proof relies on earlier work by [[Mark Niemiec]], [[David Buckingham]], [[Dieter Leithner]], [[Martin Grant]], and [[Evin]].
* '''July 23-25''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[KtT]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215037#p215037 complete] a synthesis for [[35P4H1V1]] in 41 gliders. This was the last known unsynthesised spaceship up to 35 bits, and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=215062#p215062 leaves] 8 known ships up to 37 bits that are currently unsynthesised.
* '''July 20''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[KtT]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214835#p214835 complete] a synthesis for the previously unbuildable [[37P4H1V1.2]], in 49 gliders.
* '''July 19''': [[enofet]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199849#p199849 posts] a revised 2D memory storage device, capable of being plugged in to calculator mechanisms in place of the much larger and slower 'SQ' unit in [[Osqrtlogt]], which was constructed with 2010-era technology (no [[syringe]]s and no [[Snarks]]).
* '''July 17''': New contributor [[enofet]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214731#p214731 completes] a period-67108864 (2<sup>26</sup>) gun for c/11 Speed Demonoids -- definitely the first gun created for a c/11 spaceship!
* '''July 14''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214543#p214543 completes] a 139-glider synthesis for a 42-cell [[c/3]] spaceship, [[42P3H1V0]]; this is the first new c/3 spaceship synthesized since 2022.
* '''July 12''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214481#p214481 constructs] the final step of a [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for [[34P5H2V0]], and [[vilc]] subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214483#p214483 completes] the synthesis in 52 gliders (since reduced to 40 gliders). With a minimum population of 34 cells, 34P5H2V0 was the smallest known spaceship without a known glider synthesis. This leaves [[35P4H1V1]] and a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202880#p202880 handful] of [[overweight spaceship]] [[flotilla]]s as the current smallest known unsynthesised spaceships.
* '''July 10''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214373#p214373 discovers] a new elementary Herschel conduit, the third conduit with an "F150" rating; it has a [[repeat time]] of 136, due to using the Herschel's first natural block for cleanup rather than suppressing it.
* '''July 9''': [[David Bell]] uses a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214345#p214345 new backward Cordership rake] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214346#p214346 improve the minpop record] for a [[moving sawtooth]] from 540 cells to 374.
* '''July 3-11''': [[Dmitry Maitak]] and [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214066#p214066 reduce] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214120#p214120 four] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=214423#p214423 remaining] 13-glider syntheses to prove that all 16-bit still lifes can be synthesised with 12 or fewer gliders.
* '''June 21''': [[Gustone]] makes adjustments to [[leaf bug 2]] to set separate new records in population ({{times|13179|6698}} at 24757 cells) and bounding box ({{times|12927|6576}} at 24814 cells); a further adjustment improves on both of those records, reaching {{times|12415|6315}} with population 24460.
* '''June 7-14''': A further set of design improvements allows [[Gustone]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=213261#p213261 complete] the [[leaf bug 2]], a record-breaking small macro-spaceship by any metric -- smaller than the [[0hd Demonoid]] in population (26571 vs. 27250) and smaller than the [[water strider]] in bounding box ({{times|13339|7107}} vs. {{times|14023|7309}}).
* '''June 1''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212696#p212696 constructs] an adjustable-period [[Cordership]]-based puffer with a new record minimum population of 249 cells.
* '''May 28-29''': [[shuich01]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212476#p212476 discovers] the first width-25 [[gutter]]-symmetric 2c/7 spaceship. This is the minimum possible width for a period-7 2c/7 ship with this symmetry type. [[iNoMed]] subsequently combines a component from this ship with older 2c/7 components to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212506#p212506 construct] an asymmetric ship which, in terms of its minimum population of 123 cells, is the smallest known 2c/7 ship that does not involve a [[weekender]].
* '''May 21''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=212197#p212197 discovers] [[Blackjack]], a 40-celled 'almost-glide-symmetric' p21 oscillator whose two parts shift a block diagonally in opposite directions with uneven phase shifts, similar to [[David Hilbert]].
* '''May 18''': [[b3s23love]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1452&p=212110#p212110 creates] a {{times|13|13}} "artificial soup" producing a [[2-engine Cordership]] together with debris; the previous predecessor with the smallest bounding box was {{times|14|14}}.
* '''May 15-17''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=211965#p211965 modifies] [[sawtooth 195]] (the smallest known sawtooth by bounding box at {{times|62|56}}) to start at {{times|57|55}}. Entity Valkyrie, David Bell and EvinZL reduce this to a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6258&p=212057#p212057 final bounding box] of {{times|48|50}}.
* '''May 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] uses a different hack to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=211900#p211900 find] 1558 new 2-glider still life conversion components, and 14608 3-glider components; upon running the transfer.py script, this is expected to reduce a significant number of syntheses.
* '''May 11''': [[Mitchell Riley]] uses a hacked [[QuFince]] fork to discover [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=211748#p211748 reductions to various syntheses], most notably {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_g8og806hbqicz122643|name=paperclip quad|style=raw}} 10G->8G, [[Cyclic]] 9G->8G, [[cha cha]] 12G->10G, {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_gs2ib8bi2sgz2egjk4kjge2zy0101|name=scrubber with four covers|style=raw}} 23G->16G, and {{LinkCatagolue|xp2_084ob8q4ggz114b2q342|name=square on four griddles|style=raw}} 28G->20G.
* '''March 9 - May 16''': Nick Poyntz ({{LinkCatagolue|xs52_br0raar0rbzqr0raar0rq|name=in Catagolue comments|style=raw}}) finds a 50-glider synthesis for quadruple eater 2 (a patch of the [[tablecloth]]), which DroneBetter, PK22 and KtT successively reduce to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3267&p=212010#p212010 28 gliders].
* '''April 16''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=210054#p210054 reduces] a previous population-624 moving sawtooth to produce a variant with a repeating minimum population of 584.
* '''April 12''': [[Shuich01]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209777#p209777 discover] a small [[lobster]] tagalong. This gives the first new period-7 c/7 diagonal spaceship since 2011.
* '''April 6-7''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209381#p209381 constructs] a [[sawtooth]] with a new record minimum repeating population of 168 cells.
* '''April 3''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209209#p209209 sets another new record] for the smallest known unsynthesizable still life, now down from 162 cells to 154 cells, with a [[Unique_father_problem#Reductions|self-forcing patch]] containing 251 cells instead of 272 cells.
* '''April 1''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=209042#p209042 constructs] a "corner [[highway robber]]", a new design where gliders coming from two possible perpendicular directions are detected by the same bait beehive.
* '''April 1''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=208915#p208915 constructs] the first 2c/5 orthogonal [[Greyship#Types_of_greyships|against-the-grain greyship]]. Although this greyship uses patches of with-the-grain stripes, it differs from the hybrid greyship in that all with-the-grain patches have a bounded size, while the against-the-grain patch can be made arbitrarily large.
* '''March 26''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=208144#p208144 discovers] the first [[gun#True-period_guns|true]] period-18 glider gun, based on a partial result by [[Period1GliderGun]]
* '''March 22''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207651#p207651 discovers] the first period-14 [[independent reflector]], based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* '''March 21''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207549#p207549 discovers] the first period-15 [[independent reflector]], based on a partial result by [[James Pascua]].
* '''March 16''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=207054#p207054 discovers] the first [[gun#True-period_guns|true]] period-14 glider gun. This is the smallest possible gun period.
* '''March 11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=206535#p206535 constructs] a hybrid 2c/5 [[greyship]]. This is the first 2c/5 greyship with an extensible [[against-the-grain]] section.
* '''March 4''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205815#p205815 discovers] a [[period-47 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[Caleb R. Hilton]] that is 85% smaller than the previous record holder.
* '''February 23''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205012#p205012 reduces] the bounding box of the [[period-35 glider gun]] significantly, using [[LLS]] to find smaller component p5 and p7 sparkers.
* '''February 20''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204578#p204578 discovers] a record-breaking small [[period-60 glider gun]] which, after being combined with a p8 [[filter]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204593#p204593 reduced] by [[iNoMed]] and [[hotcrystal0]], gives a [[true period]] p120 glider gun that is smaller than the true-period single-barreled [[Simkin glider gun]].
* '''February 17''': [[Chris Rowett]]'s [[LifeViewer]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204244#p204244 celebrates] its ten-year anniversary.
* '''February 11-20''': Manual and semi-manual searches, as well as search programs like Mitchell Riley's [[LightCone]], continue to turn up new [[Spartan]] conduits such as [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203970#p203970 HL226B], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203694#p203694 HF78B], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=204585#p204585 HLx86B]; some of these are fairly compact and potentially useful in [[self-constructing]] circuitry, since they fill long-standing holes in toolkits used for adjusting timing parity and/or output color.
* '''February 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203792#p203792 discovers] the first 2c/5 orthogonal chicken wire [[greyship]].
* '''February 8''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203442#p203442 constructs] a record-breaking small period-80 HWSS gun based on a new p80 R-pentomino hassler by [[Caleb R. Hilton]]. This gun has the unusual property of being [[gliderless]].
* '''February 7''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses [[Logic Life Search]] to reduce the [[p28 glider gun]], making it the tenth period with a true-period gun smaller than the single-barreled [[Simkin glider gun]].
* '''February 6''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses [[Logic Life Search]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203178#p203178 complete] a single-engine p57 glider gun based on a partial result by [[ElijahKen]]. Subsequent reductions by Merzenich, ElijahKen, [[iNoMed]], and [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203255#p203255 result] in a single-engine gun that is 45% smaller than the previous 2-engine gun.
* '''February 3''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203003#p203003 discovers] and [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=203014#p203014 synthesises] a new 32-cell 2c/4 orthogonal spaceship.
* '''February 1''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202848#p202848 synthesises] LWSS pulling [[Unnamed tagalong 23P4H2V0]]. At 32 cells, this was the smallest known spaceship without a previously known glider synthesis.
* '''January 29-31''': A flurry of activity [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202752#p202752 produces] a transparent-loaf-themed [[highway robber]] with record-breaking recovery time of 550 ticks, [[overclocking|overclockable]] to 537-544, with a suggested mechanism by [[Tawal]] and contributions by [[Louis-François Handfield]], [[Caleb R. Hilton]], [[confocaloid]], [[EvinZL]], and [[Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''January 31-February 2''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202694#p202694 invents] a novel mechanism for a new 31c/240 self-supporting spaceship, the [[water strider]]; over the next few days, the bounding box is then gradually reduced by more than half.
* '''January 28''': [[TigerCub414]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202525#p202525 discovers] a 19-glider [[synthesis]] for [[32P4H2V0]]. This leaves LWSS pulling [[Unnamed tagalong 23P4H2V0]] as the only currently known spaceship up to 32 cells without a known glider synthesis.
* '''January 18''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201924#p201924 discovers] a new record smallest-population unsynthesizable still life, population 162, with 271 specified cells in the self-forcing patch (124 ON, 147 OFF); this exactly ties the previous [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193510#p193510 271-cell record] for total specified cells.
* '''January 18''': An apgsearch haul by 'ASA-X Supercomputer' contains the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201903#p201903 first natural appearance] of [[long^9 snake]] from an asymmetric soup, almost a decade after the first occurrence of [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_31248gzy21248go/b3s23 long^8 snake] which currently has two dozen C1 occurrences.
* '''January 18''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201885#p201885 uses] a [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xp30_9f9zbrby18sq36z232xgwgzy0rgc77cgr/b3s23 small period-30 sparker] to reduce the areas of the classic [[period-690 glider gun]] and the [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/guntrue_360/b3s23 period-360 glider gun] by double-digit percentages.
* '''January 8''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201352#p201352 discovers] [[tarantula]], a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]] which, in terms of its minimum population of {{cells|58}} cells, is tied with [[spider]] as the smallest known spaceship of this speed.

==2024==
* '''December 31''': [[blah]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6808 posts a complete package] containing a 32-bit computer implemented in Conway's Life -- the "323" -- along with an assembler script, example programs, extensive HTML documentation and an MP4 introductory video. (!)
* '''December 30-31''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200626#p200626 constructs] an activation step for a [[synthesis]] of the c/5 orthogonal spaceship [[Kermit]]. [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200713#p200713 completes] a 343-glider synthesis through a collaborative effort with several other users.
* '''December 27''': [[Gustone]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200488#p200488 completes] the [[leaf bug]], a record-breaking new self-supporting 31c/240 spaceship with a smaller population (though larger bounding box) than the previous record-holding self-supporting spaceship (the [[waterbear]]).
* '''December 23''': Rei posts an [[APGsembly]] program that calculates and displays in the Life universe a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200299#p200299 plot of the Mandelbrot set].
* '''December 18-23''': [[Tim Coe]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200083#p200083 reduces] the size of the smallest sawtooth-based diehard from [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=169143#p169143 53×53] to 49×49, [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200295#p200295 reduced again] several days later to 47×47 by b3s23love; the resulting diehard's lifespan is much smaller than the 53×53 diehard's lifespan of 1826659985823844806 ticks -- i.e., the new lifespan of 1237975907532 ticks is only a record for the new reduced bounding box size.
* '''December 18''': [[User:Confocal|confocaloid]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=200067#p200067 constructs] a [[Racetrack_(disambiguation)|racetrack]] oscillator showcasing a diagonal 5c/26 [[biblock]] [[wire]]; the wire is supported by an extensible p4 sparker found by Keith Amling [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190922#p190922 in July].
* '''December 14''': A significantly improved compiler and emulator package for [[APGsembly]] version 2 is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199807#p199807 posted] by new contributor [https://conwaylife.com/forums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3758 branoc], with new optimized arithmetic components, sample code and documentation.
* '''December 11''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199619#p199619 completes] a very high-clearance period-7 middleweight sparker based on a partial result by [[hotcrystal0]].
*'''December 5''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=199295#p199295 completes] the first [[true-period|true]] [[period-35 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[iNoMed]] and [[hotcrystal0]].
*'''November 18''': [[Anivec]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198122#p198122 discovers] a small, direct [[H-to-MWSS]] conduit with a repeat time of 141 ticks. [[Period1GliderGun]] and [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198142#p198124 subsequently] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198137#p198137 find] variants that reduce the repeat time to 120 ticks.
* '''November 3''': [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197214#p197214 discovers] a new set of connectable Spartan converters with [[E-heptomino]] inputs, further expanding the set of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197272#p197272 known E-heptomino conduits].
* '''November 2''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197089#p197089 finds a way] to use stable catalysts to make a p2 [[traffic jam]] [[wire]] turn a 90-degree corner with no help from [[sparker]]s.
* '''October 28-30''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196777#p196777 builds] the first known [[true]] [[period-47 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[iNoMed]], after which the [[bounding box]] is reduced by more than a factor of four by several contributors over the next two days, from 311 × 289 down to [[Luka Okanishi]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196889#p196889 greatly simplified design] at 147 × 144.
* '''October 20''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196315#p196315 completes] a redesigned [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|(34,7)c/156 spaceship]] with a bounding box of (52514, 158980) and minimum population of 655,594; this is less than 1/38th of the population and less than 1/6000th of the area of the previous version of this spaceship constructed by [[Luka Okanishi]] last year.
* '''October 10''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/search.php?author_id=2896&sr=posts Anivec] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195741#p195741 rebuilds] an initial stage from Mitchell Riley's H-to-Gs into a [[Herschel]]-to-[[B-heptomino]] converter; [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195743#p195743 notices] that this is actually a known [[E-heptomino]] converter appended to a previously unknown Herschel-to-E converter, [[HRx93E]] -- which enables completely new Spartan Herschel conduits [[Rx155]] and [[R194]], among other things.
* '''October 10''': [[Mitchell Riley]]'s "[[LightCone]]" search program [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195724#p195724 finds] several new Spartan [[Herschel]]-to-[[glider]] converters.
* '''October 9''': [[Chris857]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1155&p=195651#p195651 finds] a synthesis for [[popover]].
* '''October 9''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195696#p195696 adapts] Kazyan's [[B29]] spaceship recipe to construct a period-84 gun, with a considerable reduction in size and period from the previous B29 gun (which was period 148).
* '''October 9''' [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195663#p195663 reduces] the glider construction recipe for the [[B29]] spaceship to 16 gliders, with an improvement to 15G by [[User:DroneBetter|DroneBetter]].
* '''October 7-8''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195564#p195564 assembles] an adjustable-period oblique [[spaceship]] based on [[(2,1)c/6]] puffers and rakes, alternately building and then burning a (4, 2)c/6 [[bi-block]] [[fuse]]; the next day the spaceship is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195607#p195607 upgraded] to an adjustable-period 48+24N [[forerake]].
* '''October 4''': [[Alex Greason]] finds a large number of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=195565#p195565 reduced-cost glider syntheses] by running an exhaustive search in "QuSrc" (a custom-modified version of [[QuFince]]) to inspect all possible 5-glider collisions with glider placements in a 15x15 bounding box.
* '''September 30''': AlphaPhoenix posts a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8pjrVbdafY YouTube video] walking through the process of starting with an arbitrary 16x13 target pattern and finding a 20-step [[predecessor]] of it; 20 steps might be the current record for an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196293#p196293 arbitrary pattern of this width] -- though AlphaPhoenix's chosen pattern was a p2 oscillator, so a very large number of trivial predecessors are known for that specific pattern for any backtracking depth.
* '''September 26''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=194858#p194858 notices] that a [[catalyst]] used in one of [[Simon Ekstrom]]'s [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190878#p190878 H-to-Gs from July 29] solves a very long-standing limitation of the stable [[F171]] conduit, reducing its [[repeat time]] from 227 ticks to as low as 120.
* '''September 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] finds [[Lx65 duplicator]], a record-breaking elementary [[Herschel]] [[fanout device]] -- a [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Lx65#Stable_Spartan_catalyst stable Spartan variant] of the known [[Lx65]] conduit, which until now has generally needed sparker support.
* '''September 4''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193512#p193512 makes available] (via a published script) a general synthesis method for all members of the [[Clock#Extensibility|long<sup>N</sup> clock]] family of p2 oscillators.
* '''September 2-4''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193366#p193366 discovers] a population-184 solution to the [[unique father problem]] with a self-forcing patch containing 283 specified (both on and off) cells and fitting in a {{times|16|20}} bounding box, each of these statistics being the smallest known. [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193510#p193510 notes] that a self-forcing patch with as few as 271 specified cells exists for this still life.
* '''September 1''': The [[Spacefiller#Synthesis|Spacefiller synthesis]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193430#p193430 wins] the 2023 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition.
* '''August 29''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=193166#p193166 completes] a new smallest period-74 [[gun]] based on a partial result by [[Mitchell Riley]].
* '''August 26''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192907#p192907 discovers] a surprising period-96 [[B-heptomino hassler]] that combines the functionality of p45 and p51 hasslers [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192896#p192896 found] by [[Period1GliderGun]] a day earlier.
* '''August 23''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192750#p192750 completes] the RCT15 optimization project, reducing the tape length by roughly a factor of three from the first working RCT15 pattern -- and now constructing a working [[spacefiller]] instead of Alan Hensel's decimal counter.
* '''August 19''': After a quick sequence of syntheses by several contributors, [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192477#p192477 assembles a recipe] for the final unsynthesized 22-bit still life, xs22_8k487p8z39c321; the 22-bit synthesis project is now complete.
* '''August 14-15''': The number of unsynthesized 22-bit still lifes dropped to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=192069#p192069 only 75] by August 14; by the next day, recipes had been found for more than half of the remaining still lifes.
* '''August 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191930#p191930 constructs] a fully rectangular against-the-grain [[greyship]].
* '''August 1''': Voting [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6646 begins] for the 2023 [[Pattern of the Year]] contest, with voting set to end at the end of August.
* '''July 31''': [[vilc]] shows an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191053#p191053 example] of a compact period-32 [[wire#2c/3 wire|2c/3 wire]] transmitter and receiver.
* '''July 31''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=191044#p191044 proves] that the 140-cell [[statorless p3]] is the unique smallest possible statorless period-3 oscillator in terms of its minimum population.
* '''July 27''': A long-term effort by [[May13]] starting back in January brings the number of unsynthesized 22-bit still lifes down to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190727#p190727 below 400], with several people contributing more syntheses since then.
* '''July 26''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190627#p190627 discovers] [[86P118]], the smallest known period-118 oscillator, based on a partial by [[iNoMed]].
* '''July 16''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189896#p189896 reduces] the best known [[highway robber]] [[recovery time]] from 742 ticks to 651 ticks.
* '''July 4''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189015#p189015 improves] the repeat time of the [[wire#2c/3 wire|2c/3 receiver]] from 742 ticks to 708, using a [[bronco]], a [[Jubjub reflector]], and an alternate ship-and-beehive [[bait]] proposed by [[Simon Ekström]].
* '''July 3''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=189000#p189000 recent optimization effort] orchestrated by [[Vort]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=186557#p186557 starting in June], with many contributions by [[confocaloid]], [[Louis-François Handfield]], and others, has greatly reduced the maximum and average sizes of guns with four-digit prime periods.
* '''June 30''': [[vilc]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188787#p188787 optimizes] the [[2-engine Cordership]] seed to use 14 objects instead of 15; on the next day the minimum object count is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188864#p188864 reduced] from 14 to 12.
* '''June 30''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188784#p188784 completes] a period-66 [[crab]] [[gun]] using a variant of Goldtiger997's crab recipe by [[iNoMed]] that allows for low-period guns; [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188803#p188803 builds] a period-61 version.
* '''June 28''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=188666#p188666 improves] the cost of synthesizing a [[crab]] (an important component of fast self-constructing circuitry) from 14 gliders to 11.
* '''June 28''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188652#p188652 constructs] a period-89 [[loafer]] gun based on a very fast synthesis by [[Louis-François Handfield]].
* '''June 27''': [[Goldtiger997]] and [[Entity Valkyrie]] set [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188611#p188611 new records] for a compact pseudo-period-16 LWSS gun, using an [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188565#p188565 improved insertion recipe by vilc] from the previous day.
* '''June 27''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188596#p188596 updates] the digital-clock seed from May, to make it possible to compile it into a [[slow salvo]] using [[pslmake]].
* '''June 21''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188166#p188166 reworks] the June 11 "loafer bitmap printer" design to use much more compact orthogonal [[MWSS]]-based memory loops.
* '''June 20''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188020#p188020 constructs] the first gun for [[77P6H1V1|a c/6 diagonal spaceship]] using a synthesis found by [[Goldtiger997]] in January 2024.
* '''June 13''': [[whatislife]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187562#p187562 discovers] a [[stable]] 50-cell, {{times|18|14}} {{LinkCatagolue|xp0_wggy09ghuzwd54czwci96z31h88c1vg7p48czw11x1221|name=135-degree LWSS-to-G|style=raw}} using [https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/silk/ Silk], with an input file similar to the sample input used to re-find the [[Snark]] but with an input LWSS instead.
* '''June 11''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187367#p187367 completes] a small, nearly edge-shooting glider-to-loafer converter with p154 technology to match the repeat time of the known 8-glider loafer synthesis.
* '''June 10''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187352#p187352 discovers] (using [[Silk]]) a new [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Spartan_G-to-W-to-H glider-to-wing conduit], which can be connected to a known wing-to-Herschel conduit to make a [[glider-to-Herschel converter]] with only [[eater 1]]s and [[block]]s.
* '''June 8''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187167#p187167 posts] a period-10 [[pipsquirter]], made by combining a known period-10 [[Wire#2c/3_wire|2c/3 signal]] injector found by [[Dongook Lee]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187345#p187345 in 2015] with a new 2c/3-signal-to-pipsquirter [[converter]] from recent [[Silk]] searches.
* '''May 29''': [[Hippo.69]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=186198#p186198 posts] a [[one-glider seed]] for a complete 24-hour digital clock mechanism.
* '''May 5''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] reports in a new Discord thread the commencement of coding work on [[Silk]], a new CUDA drifter search program inspired by [[Mitchell Riley]]'s [[Barrister]].
* '''April 30''': [[Lucy D'Agostino]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=183857#p183857 posts] a modification of a partial [[Herschel]]-to-Herschel converter pointed out by [[Anivec]], producing an easily connectable and completely [[Spartan]] [[L141]] conduit with three output gliders including the [[FNG]] and [[SNG]].
* '''April 19''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] completes a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ9BBcskBjY "Herschel Tracks Tutorial"] YouTube video about creating custom oscillators using Herschel conduits.
* '''April 17''': [[Caleb R. Hilton]] uses [[qfind]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2031&p=182823#p182823 discover] a new [[c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship that can support a wave [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2070&p=38229#p38229 found] by [[Park Shinhwan]]. Furthermore, it can also support various c/7 pushalongs found by [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[Frank Everdij]].
* '''April 8''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182059#p182059 constructs] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182092#p182092 refines] a puffer demonstrating that all sufficiently high [[c/4 diagonal]] [[rake]] periods are achievable. [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses this to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=182134#p182134 construct] a clean p3532+4N rake.
* '''March 31''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=181579#p181579 builds] a complete 2c/3-wire-based [[pseudo-Heisenburp]] device with 742-tick repeat time.
* '''March 27-30''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=181171#p181171 completes] a 2c/3 receiver with a [[repeat time]] of 876 ticks, which [[Adam P. Goucher]] eventually improves to 742 ticks using [[staged recovery]] mechanisms; the previous record-setting receivers needed 964 or 970 ticks to recover.
* '''March 20''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180679#p180679 discovers] a period-26 [[bouncer]]-based reflector, the first independent reflector of this period, using components by [[Nora Brown]] and [[Dean Hickerson]].
* '''March 19''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180587#p180587 constructs] new p6 [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[greystretcher]]s in which the stripes are bounded by extended [[table]]s.
* '''March 18''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfmCyrfxkTM posts a YouTube video] about the discovery of the [[true]] [[period-15 glider gun]] and [[period-16 glider gun]], and the history leading up to those discoveries.
* '''March 17''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=180474#p180474 discovers] the first period-16 90-degree independent [[reflector]] based on a suggestion by [[Matthias Merzenich]], using the [[period-16 glider gun]] to hassle a honey farm predecessor and produce a [[banana spark]]. 90-degree reflectors are known for all periods except 14, 17, and 19 with periods 15, 23, and 26 having only [[dependent reflector]]s.
* '''March 16-17''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180367#p180367 completes] a new [[c/4 diagonal]] unstable [[puffer engine]] (only the third known puffer engine at this speed) based on a partial result by Matthias Merzenich. [[Caleb R. Hilton]] uses sparkers to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180370#p180370 stabilise] the unstable engine into explicit puffers. [[David Bell]] uses this engine to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180388#p180388 construct] the first p52 c/4 diagonal rake, and "b3s23love" and Merzenich use it to substantially [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180390#p180390 reduce] the size of the p108 c/4 diagonal rake.
* '''March 12''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180119#p180119 discovers] a population-236 solution to the [[unique father problem]] with a self-forcing patch containing 389 specified (both on and off) cells and fitting in a {{times|22|20}} bounding box, each of these statistics being the smallest known.
* '''March 12''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180102#p180102 completes] the first [[c/4 diagonal]] backward-to-sideways glider reflector using reactions by [[Keith Amling]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]]. Using one of Bell's glider-releasing reactions and a beehive-to-ship converter by Amling, Merzenich [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180103#p180103 constructs] the first c/4 diagonal p28 rake and demonstrates the existence of rakes at periods 32, 36, and 40.
* '''March 9''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179932#p179932 shows] that a previously known "double beehive push catalyst" found by Tanner Jacobi in December 2020 can serve as a [[2c/3 wire]] input conduit for either a single wire or two perpendicular wires, with a repeat time of only 100 ticks; [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179942#p179942 finds a way] to activate the catalyst with a single passing [[Herschel]] with repeat time 176, and [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179988#p179988 points out] a reset mechanism with a repeat time as low as 56 ticks (eventually reduced to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=180709#p180709 42 ticks]).
* '''March 1''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179391#p179391 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-15 glider gun]] using a [[B-heptomino_hasslers#p15|B-heptomino hassler]] by [[Carson Cheng]] hours after finding the first p16 gun. Period-15 is now the smallest period for which a true-period gun is known.
* '''February 29''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179363#p179363 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-16 glider gun]] using [[Charity's p16]] and a [[B-heptomino_hasslers#p16|B-heptomino hassler]] by [[Nora Brown]]. Period-16 is now the smallest period for which a true-period gun is known.
* '''February 26''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=179093#p179093 discovers] a period-6 c/2 [[greystretcher]] in which the stripes are bounded by [[coiled snake]]s.
* '''February 24''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178897#p178897 completes] a non-period-doubling stabilization of iNoMed's p19 partial, which also allows for a stabilization of the wick. The result is [[goban]], the second known period-19 oscillator. [[EvinZL]] notes that there are two variants with slightly different connection points.
* '''February 23''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178793#p178793 discovers] that a period-19 partial result by [[iNoMed]] can be completed with a period-doubling catalyst, giving a period-38 oscillator. [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178803#p178803 notices] that the p19 component can be extended to form a wick.
* '''February 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178796#p178796 discovers] two different [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher|stretchers]] for a pair of [[coiled snake]]s.
* '''February 18''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178449#p178449 notices] that a previously unrecognized pattern by [[Mitchell Riley]] from September 7, 2022 is actually a complete period-171 oscillator and is in fact the smallest known p171 oscillator.
* '''January 29-February 2''': [[Keith Amling]], with some help from [[Matthias Merzenich]], discovers new [[c/4 diagonal]] spaceships ([https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176777#p176777], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176789#p176789], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=177108#p177108]) capable of eating a variety of objects including ships, blocks, boats, beacons, beehives, barges, loaves, tubs, toads, and mangoes.
* '''January 26-28''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176602#p176602 completes] a 259-[[glider synthesis]] of [[77P6H1V1]], making it the first [[c/6 diagonal]] spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''January 22''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=176315#p176315 discovers] the first [[true-period|true]] [[period-53 glider gun]] based on a partial result by [[goldenratio]].
* '''January 20''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://cp4space.hatsya.com/2024/01/20/every-finite-phoenix-has-period-2/ proves] that every finite [[phoenix]] has period 2.
* '''January 14-15''': [[Keith Amling]] discovers [[c/4 diagonal]] eaters for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175711#p175711 blocks] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175747#p175747 blinkers] and uses the block eater to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175765#p175765 construct] the first period-40 c/4 diagonal ship. [[David Bell]] and [[May13]] use these to reduce the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175776#p175776 p72], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175738#p175738 p80], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175767#p175767 p116] [[rake]]s. [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175754#p175754 notices] that an incidental reaction in the blinker eater allows a known ship to eat a glider stream and can also be used to complete the first c/4 diagonal ships of periods 28, 32, and 36.
* '''January 10-13''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175654#p175654 proves] that no finite [[phoenix]] oscillators exist at periods 3 through 69.
* '''January 9-12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175284#p175284 discovers] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175495#p175495 reduces] the first period-9 [[c/3 orthogonal|c/3]] [[backrake]], the lowest possible period for a c/3 rake. [[May13]], [[Evin]], Merzenich, and Amling use this to construct the first c/3 rakes of periods [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175304#p175304 18], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175309#p175309 63], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175312#p175312 99], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175358#p175358 117], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175312#p175312 126].
* '''January 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=175245#p175245 reduces] the known upper bound on the average [[agar]] [[density]] from 320/559 ≈ 0.572 to 1176/2087 ≈ 0.563. The highest average density is conjectured to be 1/2.
* '''January 5''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1074&p=174903#p174903 discovers] (using [[qfind]]) the first period-9 4c/9 orthogonal spaceship in a [[Life-like cellular automaton]] (B3567/S14578), fitting within a {{times|19|676}} bounding box in one phase.
* '''January 1''': [[Layz Boi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1074&p=174682#p174682 discovers] (using [[WLS]]) two new p2 lightspeed [[spaceship]]s in [[Life-like cellular automaton|Life-like rules]] containing both B2 and B3 but not B0 or B1, increasing the number of such rules in which spaceships are known to 10 (of the 8192 without S0 that have not been disproved).

==2023==
* '''December 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] uses [[QuFince]] to find a 15-glider synthesis for the last remaining 17-bit still life that had cost 16 gliders -- completing the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174201#p174201 "17-in-15" project].
* '''December 21-29''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173858#p173858 finds] a c/4 p80 puffer, which several days later is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174473#p174473 cleaned up] by [[David Bell]] (and independently by May13) to produce complete c/4 p80 [[rake]]s.
* '''December 20''': [[Luke Kiernan]] uses [[Barrister]] to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1849&p=173771#p173771 complete] a [[boojum reflector]] variant with a different output glider -- which also implies a new G-to-R based on the [[Herschel receiver]] and a stable 4hd [[lane]] [[shifter]] based on the [[glider stopper]].
* '''December 19-21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173671#p173671 discovers] a period-8 [[c/4 diagonal]] [[rake]]. Other users find various applications for this, including [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173853#p173853 a p72 rake] by [[praosylen]] with a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173858#p173858 reduction] by [[May13]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173906#p173906 filtered] to p144 by [[David Bell]].
* '''December 17''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173506#p173506 discovers] [[Snark64]], a new color-preserving 90-degree [[glider]] [[reflector]] with repeat time 64 -- useful for synchronization problems, since it has a different output [[parity]] from the [[Snark]].
* '''December 16-26''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173480#p173480 reduces] the known upper bound on the average [[agar]] [[density]] from 8/13 ≈ 0.615 to 17/28 ≈ 0.607. [[NooneAtAll3 ]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=174190#p174190 reduces] this further to 320/559 ≈ 0.572.
* '''December 12''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=173166#p173166 finds] a compact [[glider]] to [[wing]] to [[LWSS]] converter.
* '''December 10''': [[Keith Amling]] proves ([https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172934#p172934], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172938#p172938]) that there are no [[phoenix]] oscillators of periods 7, 9, or 11.
* '''December 10''': [[Alex Greason]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172853#p172853 discovers] a 5-glider [[synthesis]] for [[amphisbaena]], proving that all [[:Category:Strict_still_lifes_with_11_cells|11-cell still lifes]] can be synthesized with 5 or fewer gliders.
* '''December 8''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172734#p172734 discovers] a new type of [[c/5 diagonal]] [[wickstretcher]] for a period-2 wick.
* '''December 2''': [[FWKnightship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172367#p172367 constructs] a (6,3)c/1024 [[knightship caterpillar]] with an almost completely new support mechanism, re-using only the [[over-unity]] glider production mechanism from the [[half-baked knightship]].
* '''November 29''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=172182#p172182 discovers] a new longest-lasting known [[natural]] [[diehard]], a {{times|16|16}} [[soup]] lasting 1,413 generations before completely dying out, via [[apgsearch]].
* '''November 22''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171705#p171705 proves] that [[37P4H1V0]] is the unique smallest possible period-4 [[c/4 orthogonal]] spaceship in terms of its minimum population of 37 cells.
* '''November 18-December 2''': David Bell [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171415#p171415 extends] earlier work on [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170856#p170856 period-116 c/4 spaceships] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171051#p171051 c/4 rakes] by EvinZL and May13, respectively.
* '''November 16''': Several people extend a new [[beehive]] [[factory]] partial by [[Mitchell Riley]] to produce [[conduit]]s, usually with [[repeat time]] 90, that convert gliders to [[G-to-X_(November_2023)|other active objects]].
* '''November 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171254#p171254 proves] that [[30P5H2V0]] is the unique smallest possible period-5 [[2c/5 orthogonal]] spaceship in terms of its minimum population of 30 cells.
* '''November 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171092#p171092 discovers] [[44P49]], the smallest known period-49 oscillator, which quickly leads to a number of related [[SKOP]] records being broken.
* '''November 12-13''': [[Keith Amling]] completes a census of all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171012#p171012 period-3 ships up to 49 cells] and all [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171031#p171031 period-2 ships up to 80 cells] which discovers 6 new c/3 ships and proves that [[64P2H1V0]] is the smallest possible period-2 ship.
* '''November 8-10''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170685#p170685 discovers] a high-clearance variant of a known p28 [[c/4 diagonal]] puffer and combines two such engines to form a p116 puffer. Two days later, [[praosylen]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170835#p170835 modifies] the p116 puffer to form a [[dirty rake]] and [[Evin]] uses this dirty rake to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170856#p170856 construct] a clean p116 rake. The previous lowest known c/4 diagonal rake period was 4508.
* '''November 2''': affamatodidio [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=170361#p170361 finds] and EvinZL reduces a [[Spartan]] 180-degree same-lane [[glider]] [[reflector]] with the same timing as [[Jubjub]].
* '''October 22''': iNoMed [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169611 finds] a new [[period-201 glider gun]] engine, the first engine of that period to be found and the smallest gun of that period by bounding box.
* '''October 20''': Nora Brown [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169492 finds] a new p41 engine, the [[p41 pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''October 12''': iNoMed combines an engine by Luke Kiernan and a sparker by Carson Cheng to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&start=4175#p169035 create] the first p81 engine, a p81 [[Pi-heptomino hasslers#p81|pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''October 9''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168887#p168877 finds] a toggle-safe [[glider to block]] [[converter]].
* '''October 5''': [[Tim Coe]] adds [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168544#p168544 two more levels of tetration] to the lifespan of a 112×89 "diesuperhard", pushing the lower bound up beyond 13^^^3; the bounds are then moved beyond 17^^^3 on the same day due to improvements by [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Evin]], with a similar sized bounding box (116×86).
* '''October 5''': Based on a partial result by [[Mitchell Riley]], [[iNoMed]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1159398574103199794 completes] a p42 glider gun fitting in a 32×23 bounding box, making it currently the seventh smallest [[true-period]] glider gun.
* '''October 4''': [[Randall D. Beer]] [https://www.complex-systems.com/abstracts/v32_i01_a01/ proves] that no {{times|7|7}} [[Garden of Eden]] exists, and provides constraints on the population of {{times|8|8}} and {{times|9|9}} ones (which are not known to exist).
* '''September 15-28''': Collaborative progress on enormously long-lived [[diehard]]s continues on the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167981#p167981 "engineered diehards" thread], passing the threshold on September 28 of 11^^^3 = 11 ^^ (11 ^^ 11) ticks (where ^^ is the operator for tetration, i.e., iterated exponentiation).
* '''September 24''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167691#p167691 discovers] a period-76 shuttle for a pair of pi-heptominoes which, at 52 cells, is the smallest known oscillator of this period.
* '''September 23''': [[Evin]] discovers compact, stable glider [[pulse divider]]s with new period multipliers of [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167612#p167612 5], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167615#p167615 11], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167642#p167642 12], and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=167615#p167615 4+6n]
* '''September 18''': [[Mitchell Riley]] discovers [[86P107]], the first engine-based period-107 oscillator, and the smallest known oscillator of that period.
* '''September 9''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166691#p166691 constructs] a new type of [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[agar ship]].
* '''September 6''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166490#p166490 completes] a period-6 [[c/3 orthogonal]] ship containing a simple [[wick]].
* '''September 4''': [[400spartans]] [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Unique_father_problem#Reduction constructs] a 278-cell unconstructible still life, smaller in population and bounding box than the previous minimum 306-cell version.
* '''September 1''': The 2022 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166268#p166268 concludes] with a tie for first place between the explicit 15-glider [[reverse caber-tosser]] and the unsynthesizable and limited-ancestor objects.
* '''August 31''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=166120#p166120 constructs] the first c/3 [[Greyship#Types_of_greyships|against-the-grain greyship]] based on an idea by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''August 28''': [[Carson Cheng]], [[Mitchell Riley]], and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165969#p165969 collaborate] to find the smallest known p140 oscillator.
* '''August 27''': [[Mitchell Riley]], [[iNoMed]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165849#p165849 collaborate] to find the smallest known p126 oscillator. [[Nora Brown]] and [[iNoMed]] then use this oscillator to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165853#p165853 construct] a new record smallest p126 gun.
* '''August 26''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=165834#p165834 discovers] the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] [[greystretcher]].
* '''August 11''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164881#p164881 discovers] the first [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]]s and [[greystretcher]]s.
* '''August 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164825#p164825 discovers] a new type of c/4 orthogonal [[greystretcher]].
* '''August 1''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164406#p164406 completes] a [[R-pentomino hasslers#p93|p93 R-pentomino hassler]], the first engine-based period-93 oscillator, based on a partial result by [[Carson Cheng]].
* '''July 22''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=164021#p164021 completes] a [[period-41 glider gun]] using a design by [[Matthias Merzenich]] based on a partial result by [[May13]] and [[David Raucci]]. iNoMed subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164030#p164030 constructs] a much smaller p41 gun using an alternate design.
* '''July 21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163987#p163987 completes] a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[greyship]] with a record-breaking steep descent.
* '''July 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163972#p163972 discovers] a [[204P41|180° p41 dependent reflector loop]], the first {{period|41}} oscillator, proving that Life is [[omniperiodic]]. Brown also [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163993#p163993 finds] a related 90° p41 dependent reflector a few hours later. [[May13]] then [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=164009#p164009 constructs] an independent [[bumper]]-based p41 reflector using the 180° dependent reflector.
* '''July 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163664#p163664 discovers] [[cribbage]], the first {{period|19}} oscillator, leaving period 41 as the only period for which no oscillator is known.
* '''July 13''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163639#p163639 discovers] and subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163643#p163643 reduces] the first engine-based {{period|59}} [[gun]] which is much smaller than the [[p59_dependent_reflector_loop#Other_uses_of_the_dependent_reflector|previous Herschel-based record]].
* '''July 6''': [[Darren Li]] [https://gitlab.com/ascendantdreamweaver/scourge releases] [[scourge]], an [[ikpx]]-like oscillator search program.
* '''June 29''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=163131#p163131 discovers] the [[p71 dependent reflector loop]], the smallest known {{period|71}} [[oscillator]].
* '''June 29''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://github.com/nicobrownmath/LocalForce/tree/spaceship releases] a modification of [[LocalForce]] that can be used to search for [[dependent reflector]]s.
* '''June 16''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162720#p162720 discovers] fenceposts for a very thin period-8 wick that was first presented in [[Lifeline_Volume_3#Page_17|Lifeline Volume 3]] in 1971.
* '''June 11''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162576#p162576 disproves] the existence of 4-cell-high [[orphan]]s in Conway's Game of Life. 5-cell-high orphans had previously been discovered by [[Steven Eker]] in 2016.
* '''June 6''': The [[Unnamed (34,7)c/156 spaceship|(34,7)c/156 spaceship]] project, based on the [[(34,7)c/156 Herschel climber]], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162379#p162379 is completed] by [[Luka Okanishi]].
* '''June 2''': The [[Stable Storage Spaceship]] project [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=162210#p162210 is completed] by [[Goldtiger997]], resulting in an [[engineered spaceship]] consisting of a [[glider]] colliding with a large [[still life]] [[constellation]].
* '''May 26''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161994#p161994 discovers] the [[Pi-heptomino_hasslers#p78|p78 pi-heptomino hassler]], the first engine-based {{period|78}} [[oscillator]].
* '''May 18''': [[Period1GliderGun]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=161675#p161675 discovers] [[mold on fire-spitting]], a previously unnoticed [[LCM oscillator]] which is the smallest known non-trivial {{period|12}} oscillator.
* '''May 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1107315680287653888 discovers] the [[p82 lumps of muck hassler]], the smallest known {{period|82}} [[oscillator]].
* '''May 11-16''': [[Andrew Trevorrow]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6015 makes available] two versions of a "HatLife" Glu script that can explore cellular automata running on tilings of the recently discovered aperiodic "hat" monotile.
* '''May 11''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161411#p161411 assembles] a very large [[stable]] [[constellation]] (22,620 ON cells) that acts as a one-[[MWSS]] [[spacefiller]] [[seed]].
* '''May 8-9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=161321#p161321 discovers] simple wick-based c/5 [[greyship]] connections that allow the construction of new greyships and [[Wickstretcher#Greystretchers|stretchers]].
* '''April 23''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160785#p160785 completes] the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]] based on a partial result by [[Keith Amling]].
* '''April 21''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1099006580030185472 discovers] [[42P38]], the smallest known {{period|38}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160728#p160728 discovers] the [[p67 B-heptomino hassler]], the first engine-based {{period|67}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 21''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160719#p160719 discovers] the [[p68 century hassler]], the smallest known {{period|68}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 19''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160630#p160630 discovers] the [[p26 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known [[non-trivial]] {{period|26}} [[oscillator]].
* '''April 18''': Forum user 'blah' [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160607#p160607 completes] a period-2^18 WireWorld metacell running in the Conway's Life rule.
* '''April 18''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160604#p160604 discovers] the first engine-based [[Period-49_glider_gun_(April_2023)|period-49 glider gun]] which is much smaller than previous [[Hotcrystal0_reaction#Generalized form|glider loop based guns]].
* '''April 10''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160290#p160290 discovers] a [[c/6 diagonal]] [[tubstretcher]], the first c/6 diagonal [[wickstretcher]] of any type.
* '''April 8''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160239#p160239 discovers] a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[barberpole]] [[wickstretcher|stretcher]].
* '''April 5''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160181#p160181 discovers] the first engine-based period-61 [[gun]] which is significantly smaller than previously known guns of this period.
* '''April 4''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160041#p160041 completes] a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[linestretcher]] with help from [[Matthias Merzenich]]. Merzenich [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160048#p160048 finds] an alternate solution to Amling's partial result soon after.
* '''April 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160180#p160180 discovers] a period-42 oscillator whose [[volatility#strict|strict volatility]] matches its ordinary [[volatility]]. This was the last composite period for which no such oscillator was known.
* '''April 1''': New smallest known oscillators of periods [[72P119|119]], [[51P384|128, 192, 256, and 384]] -- [[Table_of_oscillators_by_period|SKOPs]] -- are posted by [[Mitchell Riley]], and by [[iNoMed]], [[Adam P. Goucher]], and [[Carson Cheng]] based on the initial period-384 oscillator discovery.
* '''March 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159458#p159458 constructs] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159470#p159470 reduces] a new [[quartermax]] variant based on a partial result by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''March 21''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159336#p159336 completes] a [[c/2 orthogonal]] [[agar ship]] for a high-density period-2 agar.
* '''March 19''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159240#p159240 assembles] a 1227-glider [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] based on a reduced final stage by [[Goldtiger997]]; optimizations are continuing, with a 1153-glider synthesis available on March 23.
* '''March 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159069#p159069 completes] a [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[ants]] waveguide.
* '''March 13''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158923#p158923 completes] a 2373-glider [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]], reduced the same day to 2283 gliders (with more reductions likely).
* '''March 9''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158775#p158775 discovers] a [[c/4 diagonal]] [[barberpole]] [[wickstretcher]].
* '''March 9''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158774#p158774 discovers] a small elementary 0-degree colour preserving [[Stable reflector|stable glider reflector]] with repeat time 59.
* '''March 6''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158649#p158649 discovers] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158651#p158651 slightly reduces] a record-breaking small period-68 [[gun]] based on a new [[oscillator]] by [[Mitchell Riley]].
* '''March 4''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=159163#p159163 discovers] a symmetric soup producing four copies of [[14P2.4]]. This means that all known still lifes, oscillators, and spaceships up to 15 cells have occurred at least [[semi-natural]]ly, although [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140882#p140882 some] have still not occurred [[natural]]ly.
* '''March 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158612#p158612 discovers] a record-breaking small period-52 [[gun]].
* '''February 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158264#p158264 finds] the activation step for a [[spacefiller]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]].
* '''February 21-22''': The first occurrence of the 15-cell still life [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs15_321e88gzxca1/b3s23 xs15_321e88gzxca1] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158017#p158017 appears] in a random [[soup]] found by [[Charity Engine]]. Charity Engine also [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=158077#p158077 finds] a second occurrence of this still life less than 24 hours later. This leaves the [[long|long<sup>9</sup>]] extension of [[snake]] as the only 15-cell still life not known to occur [[natural]]ly.
* '''February 17''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=157697#p157697 discovers] a [[c/4 diagonal]] [[linestretcher]] that can stretch lines with the closest possible spacing.
* '''February 15''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=157631#p157631 completes] a [[c/4 diagonal]] maximum-density multi-[[tubstretcher]] based on a [[wave]] by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''February 14''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?&p=157535#p157535 discovers] a 6-glider [[synthesis]] of [[amphisbaena]], showing that every 11-cell [[still life]] can be synthesized with 6 or fewer gliders.
* '''February 13''': The [[Conwaylife Lounge]] Discord server reaches 1,000 members.
* '''February 2''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156856#p156856 discovers] an extensible [[wickstretcher]] and an [[agar ship]] based on the [[overweight spaceship]].
* '''February 1''': [[David Bell]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156771#p156771 completes], and Goldtiger997 later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156865#p156865 optimizes], a [[stable]] [[pseudo-Heisenburp]] device that detects a passing c/3 [[crotchet ship]] by removing its final [[anacrusis]] and then adding it back later.
* '''January 31''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156728#p156728 discovers] [[94P53]], the first known [[engine]]-based period-53 oscillator.
* '''January 24''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156408#p156408 discovers] a [[strictly volatile]] period-25 oscillator, [[Charity's p25]].
* '''January 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156338#p156338 discovers] a period-8 c/2 [[greystretcher]] component that uses blocks to stabilize the [[zebra stripes]].
* '''January 20''': [[Darren Li]] uses [[Open Science Grid]] and a modified [[ikpx2]] to find [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156206#p156206 a surprisingly small (2,1)c/6 tagalong], which can be attached to [[Sir Robin]], [[Sir Sprayer]], and various minstrels in a wide variety of ways, including a connection to itself.
* '''January 20''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156198#p156198 completes] a [[gliderless]] lightweight spaceship gun based on [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156185#p156185 a partial result] by [[iNoMed]] and [[Lucy D'Agostino]].
* '''January 17-19''': [[Carson Cheng]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156093#p156093 discover] small [[glider gun]]s for periods 70, 72, and 84.
* '''January 12''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155852#p155852 discovers] the [[walrus]], the first known elementary [[c/8 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''January 2-8''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155419#p155419 reduces] the minimum population record for a [[Max]] predecessor to 110 cells. Rocknlol subsequently [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=155703#p155703 reduces] this by finding a 107-cell Max predecessor, as well as a predecessor fitting in a record 21×19 bounding box.

==2022==
* '''December 29-31''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155354#p155354 finds] a 127-cell [[Max]] predecessor, the smallest such pattern known in terms of population. [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155419#p155419 improves this further] by finding a 112-cell Max predecessor, as well as a predecessor fitting in a record 21×21 bounding box.
* '''December 23-28''': [[Goldtiger997]] finds the key activation steps for another [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=155161#p155161 66P5H2V0], and another [[c/4]] diagonal spaceship, [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/1057593135489892382 37P4H1V1].
* '''December 13''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154825#p154825 constructs] a [[c/4 orthogonal]] "[[agar]] [[spaceship]]" escorting an adjustable-sized patch of period-4 "[[OWSS]] agar".
* '''December 12''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154792#p154792 discovers] the first known [[engine]]-based period-61 oscillator, a [[Pi-heptomino_hasslers#p61|p61 pi-heptomino hassler]]. This also becomes the smallest known p61 oscillator.
* '''December 12''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154748#p154748 discovers] a [[light speed]] fuse capable of extending a [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[wave]].
* '''December 9''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154625#p154625 finds] a [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] component for extending a [[c/3 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]]. This gives the first known infinite series of synthesizable c/3 spaceships.
* '''December 5''': [[Frank Everdij]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154464#p154464 discovers] [[taco]], the third known elementary [[c/7 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''December 2-3''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154361#p154361 publishes] a script for constructing a [[strictly volatile]] [[oscillator]] with any period greater than or equal to 945.
* '''November 25''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=154110#p154110 finishes] a 99-[[glider]] [[synthesis]] of a previously unsynthesized spaceship, "[[brain]]", solving a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=22530#p22530 long-standing open problem].
* '''November 21''': [[gravity]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153956#p153956 discovers] another new [[Methuselah#Infinite_growth|puffer-based methuselah]] within {{times|20|20}}, this time lasting 126,932,978 generations.
* '''November 17''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153747#p153747 discovers] the first [[true]] period-34 [[glider gun]].
* '''November 15''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153564#p153564 completes] the 21-cell [[still life]] [[synthesis]] project. The project has spanned over a year and is the work of a large number of contributors.
* '''November 12''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153483#p153483 discovers] the [[p43 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|43}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 12-15''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153465#p153465 reduces] the cost of the [[reverse caber-tosser]] to 15 gliders, and produces a new [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153609#p153609 "RCT15" demo pattern] and associated viewer scripts.
* '''November 11''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153452#p153452 constructs] the [[Speed Orthogonal Loopship]], a new [[adjustable spaceship|adjustable]] [[loopship]] design.
* '''November 9''': A "[[semi-natural]]" [[Gosper glider gun]] [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/hashsoup/C4_4/o_hjWdgGhm7agu146534448/b3s23 appears] on Catagolue for the first time, in a [[symmetric]] [[soup]].
* '''November 8''': [[May13]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153274#p153274 finds] [[glider synthesis|syntheses]] for the last two 20-cell [[pseudo still life]]s.
* '''November 8''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153284#p153284 discovers] the [[diamondback]], which is tied with [[rattlesnake]] for the smallest known {{period|11}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 8''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153266#p153266 discovers] a dependent [[bouncer]]-based period-23 glider reflector using [[92P23|an oscillator]] by [[Mitchell Riley]]. This is the first p23 reflector of any type to be found.
* '''November 7''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153250#p153250 discovers] the first [[true]] [[period-25 glider gun]].
* '''November 7-9''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153201#p153201 posts] an [[RCT]] demo pattern with all ash trails successfully cleaned up, and two days later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153348#p153348 completes] the remaining cleanup and construction tasks at the [[epicentre]] -- demonstrating in detail that any glider-constructible pattern can be constructed with exactly 16 gliders.
* '''November 4-6''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153058#p153058 discovers] the [[70P23|p23 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|23}} [[oscillator]] up to that point, and then [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153183#p153183 finds] yet another smaller p23 oscillator, [[55P23]], two days later.
* '''November 3''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153032#p153032 discovers] [[54P94]], the smallest known {{period|94}} [[oscillator]].
* '''November 2''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=153007#p153007 discovers] a small [[period-51 glider gun]], whose capped version is also the smallest known {{period|51}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 30''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152874#p152874 discovers] [[p73 lumps of muck hassler]], the smallest known {{period|73}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 24''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152606#p152606 discovers] a smaller period-32 [[glider gun]] using a new twin bees hassler.
* '''October 21''': [[Simon Ekström]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152460#p152460 discovers] [[NW-2T16]], a new [[Herschel-to-glider]] converter which [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152506#p152506 can also be used] to create the [[SKOP|smallest known oscillators of periods]] 89, 97, 101, and 103.
* '''October 20''': New user [[gravity]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=152437#p152437 discovers] a [[List_of_long-lived_methuselahs#Puffer-based_methuselahs|puffer-based methuselah]] within a {{times|20|20}} [[bounding box]] lasting 13,629,876 generations.
* '''October 20''': Voting for the [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5747 belated 2012 Pattern of the year competition] has been extended to the end of the year.
* '''October 8''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151938#p151938 discovers] [[34P20]], the smallest known non-[[LCM]]-based {{period|20}} [[oscillator]]. It is also the first known period-20 oscillator with [[volatility]] 1, although it is not [[strictly volatile]].
* '''October 3''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151727#p151727 discover] [[52P44]], the smallest non-[[LCM]]-based {{period|44}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 3''': [[cvojan]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151695#p151695 discover] a [[period-40 glider gun]] with a 27×20 [[bounding box]] - the fourth smallest of a glider gun with a unique period.
* '''October 3''': The [[Open Science Grid]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151700#p151700 discovers] [[76P86]], the smallest known {{period|86}} [[oscillator]], using [[apgsearch]].
* '''October 2''': Using parts of a new [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151696#p151668 extensible 8-engine Cordership], [[Brett Berger]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151675#p151675 completes] a pattern that produces a single glider stream with an irrational bit density, followed by another pattern that emits gliders in a line whose slope is the golden ratio.
* '''October 2''': [[cvojan]] and [[vivi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151670#p151670 discover] a [[period-24 glider gun]] with a 21×20 [[bounding box]], later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151697#p151697 reduced] to 20×20 by [[James Pascua]], making it the second smallest known glider gun with a unique period.
* '''October 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151681#p151681 discovers] a small [[p28 block puffer]] using [[apgsearch]].
* '''October 2''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151646#p151646 finds] a [[92P23|third period-23 oscillator engine]], a beehive-and-honeyfarm hassler.
* '''October 1''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151619#p151619 discovers] [[115P106]], the smallest known {{period|106}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 1''': [[Luke Kiernan]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151605#p151605 discover] the [[p68 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|68}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 27''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151430#p151430 discovers] the [[p79 pi-heptomino hassler]], both the smallest known {{period|79}} [[oscillator]] and the first of that period not based on adjustable-period mechanisms.
* '''September 23''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151303#p151303 finds] [[70P26|a new SKOP26]] ([[SKOP|Smallest Known Oscillator of Period]] 26), using an unusual [[catalyst]] [[constellation]] made up of an [[elevener]] plus a common [[ship]]+[[fishhook]] combination.
* '''September 22''': googleplex [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151285#p151285 completes] a previously unfinished [[c/4 orthogonal]] moving [[wick]] from the '''jslife-moving''' collection, adding a front end to a back end found by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''September 22''': A new period-86 [[R-pentomino]] [[hassle|hassling]] oscillator and [[Herschel]] [[factory]] is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151276#p151276 discovered] by Nora Brown, adjusted by iNoMed, and made strict-[[volatility]] by Nora Brown with several variants with different relative phases.
* '''September 14''': The [[Open Science Grid]] finds simpler [[glider syntheses]] for multiple [[oscillator]]s, specifically [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151006#p151006 5 gliders] for the [[caterer]] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151012#p151012 6 gliders each] for [[bi-pentadecathlon 1]] and [[boat tie bipole]].
* '''September 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=151003#p151003 discovers] [[108P59]], the smallest known {{period|59}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 12''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150930#p150930 discovers] the [[p94 R-pentomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|94}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 11''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150882#p150882 discovers] the first true [[period-43 glider gun]] and, as a corollary, the first non-[[Snark]]-based {{period|43}} [[oscillator]].
* '''September 1''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150469#p150469 discovers] the [[p71 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known {{period|71}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 26''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=150241#p150241 discovers] the [[p85 R-pentomino hassler]], which in its minimum form is the smallest known {{period|85}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 21''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149933#p149933 completes] the [[p129 R-pentomino hassler]] based on a partial result by [[Luke Kiernan]]. With only 38 cells, it is the smallest known {{period|129}} oscillator.
* '''August 16''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149645#p149645 discovers] new [[pi-heptomino hassler]]s of periods 35, 40, 58, and 160, while [[Carson Cheng]] finds a new [[honey farm hassler]] of period 24.
* '''August 16''': [[EvinZL]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149677#p149677 completes] an "octo3g" orientation-agnostic hash library for the existing database of 3-glider collisions, allowing active 3G collision patterns to be searched in the same way as the previous octo3obj and octohash databases, with (probably) no false positives.
* '''August 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149466#p149466 discovers] [[p11 thumb]], a small {{period|11}} [[oscillator]] and the first with an asymmetric [[rotor]] to appear in an official [[Catagolue]] symmetry.
* '''August 9''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149347#p149347 discovers] a [[p45 pi-heptomino hassler]] with only 29 cells, making it the smallest known {{period|45}} [[oscillator]].
* '''August 9''': The [[Open Science Grid]] begins contributing CPU and GPU resources to [[Catagolue]].
* '''August 8''': [[Luke Kiernan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149315#p149315 discovers] [[R-pentomino]] [[hassler]]s of periods [[p49 R-pentomino hassler|49]] and [[p91 R-pentomino hassler|91]]. The former is the smallest known {{period|49}} [[oscillator]] by population, while the latter [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149322#p149322 can be turned] into the smallest known period-91 [[glider gun]].
* '''August 4''': [[Nora Brown]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149120#p149120 discovers] a [[p220 honey farm hassler]].
* '''August 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149077#p149077 discovers] [[34P7]], a small {{period|7}} [[sparker]] with similar functionality to the previously-discovered [[meatball]].
* '''July 30 - August 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148949#p148949 discovers] a [[semi-natural]] [[methuselah]] lasting 128,719 generations, the longest lifespan known for an [[apgsearch]] [[soup]] excluding those which continue to grow infinitely after "going boring". Three days later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149071#p149071 a second one] is discovered lasting 132,364 generations.
* '''July 29''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148834#p148834 discovers] the smallest known period-92 oscillator, a 44-cell [[LCM oscillator]] consisting of a [[mold]] interacting with a previously-overlooked spark from a [[twin bees shuttle]] variant.
* '''July 25''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148702#p148702 discovers] a new stabilization of the [[p44 pi-heptomino hassler]] using only [[block]]s and [[eater 2]]s, while [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148703#p148703 finds] a period-sextupling mechanism that works with all versions of the oscillator.
* '''July 25''': [[Simon Ekström]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148650#p148650 discovers] a small, stable 180-degree glider [[reflector]].
* '''July 25''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148649#p148649 discovers] the [[p82 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known {{period|82}} [[oscillator]].
* '''July 24''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148590#p148590 discovers]  the [[speed tunnel]], a [[Spartan|non-Spartan]] [[Glider-to-Herschel converter|glider-to-Herschel conduit]] with a repeat time of 61 ticks, which makes it the fastest G-to-H conduit discovered to date.
* '''July 23''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148557#p148557 discovers] a new {{period|22}} [[century]] [[hassle]]r.
* '''July 15''': [[Carson Cheng]] [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/997664404323709048 reveals himself] as the author of numerous randomly-generated [[glider syntheses]] covertly submitted to [[Catagolue]] over the last few months, most notably a 4-glider [[bipole]] and a 5-glider [[octagon II]].
* '''July 15''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148274#p148274 discovers] an 8-glider [[synthesis]] for [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_dbgzw1qm/b3s23 xs14_dbgzw1qm], which means that all strict 14-cell [[still life]]s can be synthesized with 9 or fewer gliders.
* '''July 14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148244#p148244 discovers] a new glider-releasing H-to-R [[conduit]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses it to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148237#p148237 reduce] the size of the smallest known [[true]] period 59, 61, 67, and 77 [[gun]]s.
* '''July 11-14''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148173#p148173 discover] [[43P54]], the smallest known period-54 oscillator. [[David Raucci]] and [[hotcrystal0]] then use this oscillator to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148236#p148236 reduce] the size of the smallest known period-54 [[gun]].
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147980#p147980 discover] a [[200P199|period-199 oscillator]] whose reduced form also functions as a [[pipsquirter]].
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] and [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147972#p147972 discover] a [[p146 pi-heptomino hassler]], which is later [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147977#p147977 monomerized] by [[Evin]] and [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/994432762603905074 reduced] to have a minimum population of only 52 cells.
* '''July 6''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147943#p147943 discovers] the first [[non-trivial]] period-34 oscillator, [[74P34]]. Using a resulting p34 beehive hassler by "MAP bot", [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147953#p147953 completes] a p34 [[bumper]] reflector.
* '''July 6''': Based on a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147886#p147886 partial result] by [[Hartmut Holzwart]], [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147929#p147929 completes] a width-12 [[chicken wire]] [[greyship]] with a slope-0 back end, filling in the final gap in the collection of slope-0 chicken wire back ends.
* '''July 5''': [[Mitchell Riley]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147909#p147909 discovers] a new period-83 oscillator, [[62P83]], and [[iNoMed]] uses two copies to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147908#p147908 construct] a small period-83 [[glider gun]].
* '''July 2-3''': [[yaochen2]] and [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147829#p147829 discover] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147834#p147834 various] [[switch engine]]-based [[methuselah]]s within a 16×16 bounding box, including one lasting 4,764,364 generations.
* '''July 2''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147819#p147819 discovers] [[74P127]], the highest prime-period oscillator not based on adjustable-period loops.
* '''June 30''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147745#p147745 discovers] [[Charity's p16]], a relatively small period-16 oscillator.
* '''June 29''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147675#p147675 discovers] a [[glider synthesis]] for [[29P3H1V0]], meaning that all known [[spaceship]]s with up to 31 cells have a known synthesis.
* '''June 26''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147576#p147576 discovers] the [[p58 pi-heptomino hassler]], the smallest known period-58 oscillator. Dani uses this to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147579#p147579 construct] a [[gliderless]] p58 lightweight spaceship gun.
* '''June 24''': [[ljkiernan1]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147511#p147511 discovers] [[58P37]], the smallest known period-37 oscillator and the first one that can be used to create a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147512#p147512 period-37 glider gun].
* '''June 20''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147341#p147341 reduces] the [[p4-assisted period-28 glider gun]], making it the fifth-smallest glider gun with a distinct period and leading to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147342#p147342 additional reductions] to the [[period-14 glider gun|pseudo-p14 glider gun]].
* '''June 14''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147102#p147102 discovers] a [[p10 domino fountain|strong period-10 domino sparker]].
* '''June 6''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146680#p146680 completes] a c/2 wire width 2 [[chicken wire]] [[grayship]] using a dense wave front by [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''June 2''': [[Keith Amling]], [[Matthias Merzenich]] and [[Hartmut Holzwart]] collaborate to complete a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146504#p146504 new greyship front edge], allowing for rectangular and trapezoidal [[greyship]]s that mix different widths of [[chicken wire]] with a minimum width of 13.
* '''May 28''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146196#p146196 discovers] [[meatball]], a small {{period|7}} [[spark]]-producing [[oscillator]] which can be used in place of [[38P7.2]] in certain [[glider gun]] constructions.
* '''May 27''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146111#p146111 completes another stage] of a 16G [[RCT]] implementation, moving the project gradually away from "<i>we know vaguely how it would work</i>" toward "<i>we know exactly how it works</i>".
* '''May 25-June 2''': [[Charity Engine]]'s continuing focus on non-C1 [[symmetry]] produces [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145987#p145987 several] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=146482#p146482 more] new p9 and p6 oscillators.
* '''May 18''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145728#p145728 discovers] [[30P25]], the smallest known {{period|25}} [[oscillator]] by population.
* '''May 10''': [[mvr]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145411#p145411 discovers] a [[p84 honey farm hassler]] with only 42 cells, the smallest known period-84 oscillator by population.
* '''May 10''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145414#p145414 modification] of the CatForce search program by [[mvr]] allows for a significant speedup -- and also includes a symmetric search option that has very quickly started finding interesting new circuitry, such as a new [[Spartan]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145440#p145440 version of a known pi-to-2G converter].
* '''May 10''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145359#p145359 posts] reductions to two different oscillators: the p12 [[crown]], and the [[p44 pi-heptomino hassler]].
* '''May 2''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144986#p144986 constructs] [[quartermax]], a [[quadratic-growth]] pattern that fills one quarter of the plane (instead of a half or full plane, as in [[halfmax]] and [[max]].)
* '''May 2''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144982#p144982 discovers] a new period-46 [[glider gun]] that does not rely on previously known [[:Category:Oscillators with period 46|p46 oscillators]] or on [[adjustable glider loop]]s.
* '''April 28''': [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144828#p144828 discovers] a record-breaking smallest p12 [[backrake]] using "WSS_Test", the modified [[apgsearch]] program that also found [[35P12H6V0]] (the record-breaking smallest p12 spaceship from February).
* '''April 27''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144795#p144795 find] a "self-forcing" finite patch of period-2 [[agar]], and Oscar Cunningham stabilizes the patch to produce the first oscillator with a provably unsynthesizable [[rotor]].
* '''April 25''': [[Andrew Wade]] uses his life slice spaceship search program ([[LSSS]]) to find a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144727#p144727 new 151-cell 2c/7 spaceship], and May13 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144728#p144728 produces] a number of variations based on it and known 2c/7 components.
* '''April 21''': [[dani]], [[Oscar Cunningham]], [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144536#p144536 collaborate] to reduce the number of gliders needed for any glider construction (via an [[RCT]] synthesis) from 17 to 16.
* '''April 20''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3552&start=400#p144490 finds] a new [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/gun_114/b3s23 period-114 glider gun] engine using two [[pi-heptomino]]es and four period-6 [[sparker]]s.
* '''April 16''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144315#p144315 posts] an example pattern demonstrating the [[reverse caber-tosser]] mechanism by constructing a [[shillelagh]], along with a massive amount of debris, in approximately 5.23×10<sup>615</sup> generations.
* '''April 15''': [[Goldtiger997]] makes available a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144242#p144242 Python script] that can assemble a [[Speed Orthogonoid]] for any rational orthogonal velocity below c/2 (with the usual practical limitations due to system resources).
* '''April 12''': [[iNoMed]] and [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144139#p144139 assemble] a new-record smallest [[period-36 glider gun]] using just one engine (the previous record-holder used two).
* '''April 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144121#p144121 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] via [[apgsearch]] exhibiting [[infinite growth]] whose center takes 225,593,194 generations to stabilize, [[Methuselah#Infinite growth|a new record]].
* '''April 11-14''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144077#p144077 completes] a [[diehard]] with a size similar to previous efforts, that takes '''much''' longer to die out completely -- initially on the rough order of <sup>8</sup>121 ticks, the eighth [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetration tetration] of 121, and improved past <sup>12</sup>121 ticks in the next few days.
* '''April 7-10''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=144045#p144045 constructs] a [[diehard]] fitting within a 10,000-cell bounding box while having an exponentially long lifespan using a [[sawtooth]] design. With optimizations by [[toroidalet]], [[Dean Hickerson]], and others, this pattern lasts for ~1.33616×10<sup>1443</sup> generations before disappearing.
* '''April 6''': [[Goldtiger997]]'s [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143872#p143872 wins] the [[Pattern of the Year]] competition for 2021.
* '''April 4''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143798#p143798 finds] a [[20-cell quadratic growth]] pattern, the current record holder for the smallest [[breeder]] in terms of population.
* '''April 2''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143703#p143703 discovers] a pair of [[44P5H2V0]]s via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|5}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly. [[iNoMed]] and [[Goldtiger997]] use this soup to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143704#p143704 reduce] the 44P5H2V0 [[glider synthesis]].
* '''April 1-8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143667#p143667 completes] two [[Speed Orthogonoid]] spaceships, which can be adjusted to travel arbitrarily close to the orthogonal speed limit of c/2, similar to the [[Speed Demonoid]]'s adjustability for diagonal speeds arbitrarily close to c/4.
* '''March 31''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5616 forum thread] dedicated to [[diehard]]s, including engineered ones, is created, leading to the publication of constructions by [[Dean Hickerson]] and [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] fitting within small bounding boxes but lasting for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143574#p143574 tens of thousands] (and even [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143605#p143605 hundreds of thousands]) of generations before disappearing completely.
* '''March 28''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143452#p143452 discovers] a c/2 orthogonal [[wickstretcher|stretcher]] for a stable wick.
* '''March 27''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143450#p143450 finds] a 6-[[glider]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] of a [[breeder]], breaking the previous record of [[Switch engine ping pong|7 gliders]].
* '''March 23-27''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143277#p143277 finds] a 23×15 predecessor to a [[breeder]], beating out [[Luka Okanishi]]'s recent 26×18 pattern for the title of the smallest quadratic growth predecessor by [[bounding box]]. A few days later, this predecessor is further reduced to 23×13.
* '''March 22-23''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143253#p143253 posts] a series of binary slow salvo recipes for the 17-glider [[reverse caber tosser]] that greatly simplify the problem of producing a complete proof-of-concept of RCT construction... not that it's all done yet!
* '''March 17''': New forum user 'Game of Life Fun' [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=143050#p143050 assembles] the first [[gliderless]] [[Gosper glider gun]] [[puffer]].
* '''March 12-15''': [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142708#p142708 finds] a small [[c/12 diagonal]] [[breeder]] using a custom [[apgsearch]] symmetry, with a 26×18 predecessor [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142715#p142715 found] by [[Luka Okanishi]] and [[22-cell quadratic growth|a 22-cell predecessor]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142738#p142738 found] by [[David Raucci]] breaking the records for the smallest [[bounding box]] and [[population]], respectively, of a pattern exhibiting [[quadratic growth]]. Three days later, [[dani]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142905#p142905 finds] a [[21-cell quadratic growth|21-cell solution]] with a different breeder.
* '''March 11''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142667#p142667 announces] the official launch of the textbook ''[[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]]''.
* '''March 8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142538#p142538 posts] an SSGRL ([[self-synthesizing glide-reflecting loopship]]) with a design similar to last year's [[self-synthesizing oblique loopship]].
* '''March 4''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142429#p142429 discovers] a pair of [[dart]]s via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|3}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''March 4''': [[iNoMed]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142407#p142407 discovers] [[30P3]], a custom-built {{period|3}} [[sparker]] which can be used to construct a record-breaking 51-cell p48 oscillator when combined with [[Rob's p16]].
* '''March 1''': [[iNoMed]] and [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142297#p142297 discover] the first p30 gun that does not use the [[queen bee shuttle]].
* '''February 24''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142084#p142084 discovers] [[58P8H4V0]] via a symmetric [[soup search]], making it the first {{periodS|8}} [[spaceship]] to occur [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''February 23''': [[Keith Amling]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142060#p142060 discovers] [[232P7H3V0]], the smallest known [[3c/7 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''February 21''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141951#p141951 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] which takes [[Die hard|2,474 generations to die out completely]], beating the previous "messless [[methuselah]]" record by over 400 ticks.
* '''February 16''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141729#p141729 discovers] the [[p23 honey farm hassler]], a smaller {{period|23}} [[oscillator]].
* '''February 15''': dani [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141656#p141656 discovers] a new [[period-30 glider gun]] that uses only a single [[queen bee shuttle]] based on a symmetric 4-[[barrel]]ed gun [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141655#p141655 discovered] by [[Charity Engine]].
* '''February 14''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141620#p141620 discovers] [[p4-assisted period-28 glider gun|a smaller p28 glider gun]], with a [[bounding box]] of only 37×24, which [[iNoMed]] uses to [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141628#p141628 construct] a smaller [[period-14 glider gun|pseudo-p14 glider gun]].
* '''February 13''': [[James Pascua]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141608#p141608 discovers] a smaller {{period|62}} [[glider gun]] based on a glider-releasing [[wick]].
* '''February 12''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141568#p141568 discovers] a symmetric [[soup]] containing a [[bi-gun]], making it the second unique [[gun]] to have occurred [[semi-natural]]ly.
* '''February 11''': [[Charity Engine]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141492#p141492 discovers] [[32P21]], the smallest known {{period|21}} [[oscillator]].
* '''February 10''': On Discord, "mystical" [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/941302038409674752 uses a modification of apgsearch] to find a period-12 spaceship, [[35P12H6V0]], with a minimum population four cells less than that of the [[Schick engine]], which had been the smallest known period-12 spaceship for about half a century.
* '''January 29''': [[David Raucci]] makes the [https://www.conwaylife.com/w/index.php?title=RLE:Period27glidergun&oldid=100000 100,000th edit] to LifeWiki.
* '''January 29''': [[David Raucci]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140915#p140915 completes] a [[true]]-period [[period-27 glider gun]] based on a reaction found by [[goldenratio]].
* '''January 26''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140777#p140777 finds] a synthesis of another [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [[70P5H2V0]], based on a final step [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140650#p140650 completed on January 23rd].
* '''January 17''': [[goldenratio]] and [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140411#p140411 discover] the [[p39 pi-heptomino hassler]], the first {{period|39}} [[oscillator]] not based on an [[LCM]] or glider loop mechanism.
* '''January 13''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140258#p140258 solve] the [[unique father problem]] in the positive, providing a 32×26 [[still life]] that cannot be constructed from scratch by any means.
* '''January 12''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140183#p140183 discovers] [[44P38]], the first {{period|38}} [[oscillator]].
* '''January 11''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140089#p140089 constructs] the first [[pseudo-period]] 16 and 17 [[LWSS]] and [[MWSS]] [[gun]]s. Period 16 is the minimum possible period for a MWSS gun.
* '''January 10''': [[James Pascua]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140094#p140094 reduces] the [[period-48 glider gun]] to a bounding box of 31×16 - beating [[Three quarters traffic light catalyst|period 46]] for the title of second-smallest known [[glider gun]]. As a corollary, the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140108#p140108 smallest known] period-96 [[oscillator]] now consists of a p48 gun with a [[boat-bit]].
* '''January 10''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140063#p140063 completes] a 74-glider synthesis of [[Orion 2]], making it the fifth [[c/4 diagonal]] spaceship (not including the glider!) with a known synthesis.
* '''January 6''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] and [[Ville Salo]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139854#p139854 solve] a generalized version of the [[grandfather problem]], proving that for every natural number n, there exists a pattern that has an n-tick predecessor but not an (n+1)-tick predecessor.
* '''January 4''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139761#p139761 further reduces] the [[p32 honey farm hassler]] to only 45 cells.
* '''January 3''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139701#p139701 discovers] a smaller [[p143 Bandersnatch loop]], using only relatively small [[still life]]s, and later [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139714#p139714 constructs] a 58-glider [[synthesis]] of it.

==2021==
* '''December 31''': [[Ilkka Törmä]] finds (and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139666#p139666 posts a few days later]) a 6x3 [[still-life]]-compatible region that can be extended into an infinite [[agar]] that has no predecessors other than itself.
* '''December 21''': [[goldenratio]], [[iNoMed]], and [[praosylen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139175#p139175 construct] a smaller [[period-48 glider gun]], with a bounding box of 35×16, the third-smallest of any known unique-period gun.
* '''December 19''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139044#p139044 completes] a small period-126 glider gun using a [[pi]]-[[hassle|hassling]] mechanism, based on contributions by [[David Raucci]], [[iNoMed]], and [[cvojan]].
* '''December 17''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138965#p138965 completes] a blueprint laid out by googleplex, to produce a [[QuickSilver Demonoid|QuickSilver self-constructing spaceship]] made with entirely 1990s-era technology such as [[Silver's reflector]]s (but definitely 21st-century design techniques).
* '''December 14–21''': [[cvojan]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138895#p138895 discovers] the [[traffic stop|three quarters traffic light catalyst]], resulting in [[hassler]]s of periods 36, 48, and 60. Later, cvojan [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139008#p139008 constructs] a smaller [[p76 pi-heptomino hassler]], with only 57 cells, using this hassling reaction as a [[catalyst]], while [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=139147#p139147 constructs] a smaller [[period-46 glider gun]] with a [[bounding box]] of 37×15, the second-smallest of any known gun.
* '''December 11''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138670#p138670 assembles] a [[bouncer]] with repeat time 22 and period 11, a previously unknown period for bouncers (though it was known for [[bumper]]s).
* '''December 10''': [[FractalFusion]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138634#p138634 constructs] [[statorless]] [[oscillator]]s for all periods that are multiples of 33.
* '''November 29''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138191#p138191 completes] "DOGun SaGaQR", a "shapeshifting" pattern that can be adjusted to become a [[diehard]], high-period [[Volatility#Oscillators_with_volatility_1|volatility 1 oscillator]], 4-[[barrel]]led glider [[gun]], c/24 [[spaceship]], single [[glider]], or [[quadratic growth]] [[replicator]].
* '''November 28''': [[Luka Okanishi]] and [[Tanner Jacobi]] construct the first [[true-period]] [[glider gun]]s of periods [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138155#p138155 51] and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138157#p138157 49] respectively using [[hotcrystal0_reaction|a base reaction]] by [[wwei23]] and [[hotcrystal0]].
* '''November 23–24''': [[Martin Grant]], [[Tanner Jacobi]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=138057#p138057 complete] a period-20 partial found by [[David Raucci]] to construct a record-breaking [[period-20 glider gun]].
* '''November 20''': [[Dongook Lee]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137874#p137874 finds] [[62P7]], a new period-7 [[domino]] [[sparker]] that's more accessible than [[132P7]], stronger than [[hebdarole]], and '''much''' smaller than [[754P7]] (which itself can be reduced to 678 cells with this same discovery).
* '''November 18''': [[Dongook Lee]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137807#p137807 discovers] the first [[strictly volatile p4]] oscillator.
* '''November 17''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137788#p137788 discovers] several new [[Max]] predecessors using [[LogicLifeSearch]] including, among others, one with only 151 cells and another with a [[bounding box]] of only 25×21, making them the smallest known [[spacefiller]]s by these metrics.
* '''November 17''': [[May13]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137751#p137751 constructs] the first clean c/6 orthogonal [[rake]] using 8 copies of a dirty p1212 puffer, and [[iNoMed]] quickly [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137752#p137752 reduces] this to 4 copies.
* '''November 13''': Using the new [[weekender]] recipe, [[Goldtiger997]] and [[Dave Greene]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137616#p137616 complete] a glider-to-weekender converter less than a quarter of the size of the previous mechanism, with an option to produce [[doo-dah]] spaceships instead.
* '''November 13''': [[Luka Okanishi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137600#p137600 assembles] a working [[elementary]] Herschel merge circuit.
* '''November 13''': With population optimization help from [[Entity Valkyrie]], [[Dongook Lee]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137595#p137595 finds] [[180P8]], a very high-[[clearance]] [[domino]] sparker that is a significant reduction to the previously known [[230P8]].
* '''November 10''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=137484#p137484 announces] yet another size reduction for the [[period-144 glider gun]] using a [[transparent]]-[[blinker]] [[component]].
* '''October 22''': [[MathAndCode]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136897#p136897 discovers] a [[phase shift]] reaction for [[50P9]] with period 9n-1.
* '''October 21''': Various users [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136864#p136864 discover] new [[p3 pipsquirter]]s which can be used to support the [[carnival shuttle]].
* '''October 13''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136580#p136580 completes] a Python script capable of assembling the Nth [[Canada Grey]] [[greyship]] for N>2, at a cost of 84N<sup>2</sup> + 371.5N + 204 - 43.5*MOD(N,2) [[glider]]s.
* '''October 12''': [[83bismuth38]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136555#p136555 discovers] [[66P62]], the smallest known {{period|62}} [[oscillator]].
* '''October 11''': [[Nicolas Loizeau]] ('Coban' on the forums) posts a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136626#p136536 new scalable programmable 8-bit computer] (and accompanying video).
* '''September 23''': The textbook ''[[Conway's Game of Life: Mathematics and Construction]]'' by [[Nathaniel Johnston]] and [[Dave Greene]] is opened up to beta readers, available as a PDF at https://conwaylife.com/book/. Feedback can be submitted in [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5418 this thread].
* '''September 19''': [[Rocknlol]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135872#p135872 finds] new record-breaking small 'pure nonfillers', one with 209 ON cells and one with a 33-by-27 bounding box.
* '''September 17''': [[Dongook Lee]] and others, in a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/888333616952770560 Discord discussion], improve the [[period-55 glider gun]] with new customized p5 sparkers, making it the second-smallest odd-period gun after the [[period-21 glider gun]] by minimum population, and the outright smallest by bounding box.
* '''September 16''': [[David Raucci]] completes a new and significantly smaller [[true]] period [[period-54 glider gun]], with improvements based on a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/888137152616083506 Discord collaboration].
* '''September 14''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135748#p135748 discovers] a smaller [[true-period]]-32 [[glider gun]] based on a new engine.
* '''September 9''': [[David Raucci]] and [[Aidan F. Pierce]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135635#p135635 discover] the [[p32 honey farm hassler]], the smallest known {{period|32}} [[oscillator]], and [[Matthias Merzenich]] uses the underlying reaction to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135636#p135636 construct] the first [[true-period]]-32 [[glider gun]].
* '''August 29-September 6''': iNoMed and others, in a [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/881531301772029973 Discord discussion], radically improve the glider synthesis of the [[weekender]] from 56 gliders down to only 33, and reducing the [[repeat time]] from 444 [[tick]]s to 347 for a related 35-glider version (for 33G it's 427 ticks, and for 34G it's 447 ticks), making it one of the few known [[spaceship]]s besides the [[*WSS]]es that cost less than one glider per bit to synthesize.
* '''August 24''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135235#p135235 constructs] a period-18 reflector capable of reflecting a period-18 glider stream based on an oscillator by [[David Raucci]].
* '''August 24''': [[Catagolue]] is updated to allow larger tabulations in the form of linked fragments, [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/420789213466853387/879876922014851152 enabling] among other things storage of all xs21s (still lifes consisting of 21 bits).
* '''August 23''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135199#p135199 constructs] a new period-45 glider [[gun]] based on a partial result by David Raucci.
* '''August 21''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=135135#p135135 re-uses SMOS technology] to build a [[RRO|reflectorless rotating oscillator]] with loopability 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6; with minor adjustments it can reach loopability 7, 10, or 11 (but not 8, 9, or 12 or higher).
* '''August 2''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=134389#p134389 constructs] the first explicit example of a [[SMOS|spaceship made of spaceships]] in Conway's Game of Life.
* '''August 1''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://discordapp.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/871483361435209748 constructs] the first [[true]]-period [[Period-21_glider_gun|period-21 gun]] using a new period-21 oscillator by [[David Raucci]].
* '''July 30''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=134269#p134269 constructs] a [[T-nosed p7]] using a reaction from 2016.
* '''July 25''': [[Goldtiger997]] published the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=134059#p134059 detailed recipes] needed to synthesize an infinite family of increasingly larger greyships.
* '''July 12''': [[James Pascua]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133473#p133473 discover] [[90P51]], a two-cell reduction to the smallest known non-trivial p51 oscillator.
* '''July 9''': [[iNoMed]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133286#p133286 discovers] an 83-cell variant of the [[p25 pre-pulsar shuttle]], making it the smallest known period-25 [[oscillator]].
* '''July 6''': [[David Raucci]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=133141#p133141 discovers] a new glider gun engine with [[period-117 glider gun|period 117]].
* '''July 1''': [[Martin Grant]] and Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=132872#p132872 complete] the synthesis of the [[greyship]] from June 20th in 753 gliders.
* '''June 20''': Goldtiger997 [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=132334#p132334 completes] the final step of a [[greyship]] [[glider synthesis]].
* '''June 18''': Adam P. Goucher [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/85543598338631273434 adds] to [[Catagolue]] the ability to recognize glider guns with up to four-digit periods, which can now be submitted to the collection via the nonmagical box at the bottom of the "Syntheses" page.
* '''May 17''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130340#p130340 constructs] a new [[period-20 glider gun]] based on a period-20 oscillator by [[wwei23]] and [[David Raucci]].
* '''May 14-21''': Frank Everdij discovers [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130230#p130230 two] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130622#p130622 new] elementary [[c/6 diagonal]] spaceships using [[ikpx2]].
* '''May 9''': Adam P. Goucher [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129942#p129942 constructs] period-12 knightpuffer and knightrake technology using variants of the new [[sprayer]] [[knightship]]; this is quickly followed by other puffer and rake periods such as a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129945#p129945 p48 mechanism] by cvojan.
* '''May 9''': After a three-month, 16-thread [[ikpx2]] search, Adam P. Goucher [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=129937#p129937 finds] a completion for a second [[elementary]] [[knightship]] front end found by [[Dylan Chen]], which is known as the [[sprayer]] due to a huge accessible side spark at the front.
* '''April 13 - June 30''': [[David Raucci]] discovers many previously unseen oscillators, glider gun mechanisms, etc., including [[Raucci's p74]], using a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=130212#p130212 new search script] that finds spark support for hassling common active objects in various symmetries.
* ''' April 11''': David Raucci [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128061#p128061 finds] a new [[p76 pi-heptomino hassler]] oscillator, which is quickly [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128083#p128083 reduced to a monomer form] by JP21, A for awesome, and [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* ''' April 10-14''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=128012#p128012 completes] a 152-glider synthesis of a third c/4 orthogonal spaceship, [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_y2oo7t0t7ooz2qgx8t2rgr2t8xgq2z122166y5661221/b3s23 61P4H1V0.1]; within four days this was reduced to an [http://catagolue.appspot.com/object?apgcode=xq4_y2oo7t0t7ooz2qgx8t2rgr2t8xgq2z122166y5661221&rule=b3s23 89-glider synthesis].
* ''' March 19''': Matthias Merzenich [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=126154#p126154 discovers] a new [[weekender]] tagalong.
* ''' March 18''': Results for the 2020 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition include a tie for first place between the [[Bandersnatch]] and the [[Speed Demonoid]].
* ''' March 17''': A small synthesis efficiency improvement project, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=125927#p125927 12-in-7] (12-bit still lifes constructed with 7 gliders or less) is completed, with 13 expensive syntheses reduced to below the target cost in less than a week.
* ''' March 17''': [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5066 Pattern of the Year voting], on a record-breaking thirty-nine entries for 2020, will close on March 17th.
* '''March 12''': The 20-bit [[still life]] [[glider synthesis]] [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/xs20 project] is [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=125259#p125259 completed].
* '''March 7-8''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=124810#p124810 completes] a 215-glider recipe for [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq4_2534uof1u0u1fou4352zy087084048078zx3igi3x3igi3/b3s23 72P4H1V0], the second c/4 orthogonal spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''February 10-11''': [[Chris Rowett]] uses [[ikpx2]] to discover several new moving objects, including a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=122299#p122299 p120 2c/5 puffer] and [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=122454#p122454 c/5 diagonal tubstretcher, tagalong, and spaceship].
* '''February 4-11''': [[Tanner Jacobi]], EvinZL, [[Louis-François Handfield]] and [[Sphenocorona]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121723#p121723 find] new Herschel-to-glider [[converter]]s and variants of existing H-to-Gs: NW26T157b, NE30T17_NE1T22, NW10T137, SW-18T136 and a [[Spartan]] SE16T36b.
* '''January 11-March 8''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121698#p121698 completes] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=121889#p121889 several] new [[chicken wire]] [[greyship]]s with different widths of chicken wire, with specific examples constructed for widths 2 through 12 among others.
* '''January 25''': [[Catagolue]]'s [[B3/S23]]/[[C1]] census [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/C1-2021-01-25 reaches] a total of one quadrillion objects.
* '''January 24''': [[goldenratio]] and [[bubblegum]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=120269#p120269 construct] a [[glider synthesis]] for [[edge-repair spaceship 1]].
* '''January 17''': [[wwei23]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119411#p119411 discovers] [[1320P7]], a large but high-clearance {{period|7}} [[sparker]] [[oscillator]].
* '''January 16''': [[Dylan Chen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=119406#p119406 discovers] [[52513M]], the new longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] within a 16×16 [[bounding box]], just a week after the discovery of 50093M.
* '''January 16''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=119342#p119342 completes] a [[2c/5 orthogonal|2c/5]] [[waveguide]] for an oblique line of [[ants]] based on a partial result by [[Matthias Merzenich]].
* '''January 10''': [[Alex Greason]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118703#p118703 makes available] a fresh set of transfer.py results. Fewer than 535 20-bit still lifes have no known glider synthesis, and 135 of these have soups available on [[Catagolue]] to assist with synthesis.
* '''January 10''': [[Dylan Chen]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118727#p118727 discovers] another new [[3c/7]] spaceship, using [[Andrew J. Wade]]'s December update to [[LSSS]]. This is the first small 3c/7 spaceship with [[gutter symmetry]].
* '''January 9''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118690#p118690 discovers] [[50093M]], the longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] within a 16×16 [[bounding box]], using [[apgsearch]].
* '''January 5''': [[Bullet51]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118256#p118256 uses ikpx2 to find] a third [[elementary]] [[c/6 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''January 5''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118240#p118240 discovers] a new variant of a known [[H-to-G]] [[conduit]], NE16T14, with likely applications as a [[reflector]] and merge circuit in [[single-channel]] self-constructing circuitry.
* '''January 5''': [[Sphenocorona]] and [[Luka Okanishi]] assemble a new elementary conduit, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=118100#p118100 HF96P], which allows for the creation of several new Herschel-to-glider [[converter]]s.
* '''January 2-3''': bubblegum [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=117681#p117681 discovers] a new 3c/7 orthogonal [[Puffer#Puffer_engine|puffer engine]], allowing [[Matthias Merzenich]] and iNoMed to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=117798#p117798 construct] the first clean 3c/7 [[rake]].

==2020==
* '''December 28-31''': [[Dylan Chen]] discovers [[Anura]] ([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=117159#p117159]) and [[Soba]] ([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=117548#p117548]), the two smallest known [[3c/7 orthogonal]] spaceships, as stabilizations of the same frontend, and also a much smaller front end for the [[spaghetti monster]] on January 4.([https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=118021#p118021])
* '''December 28''': ''The New York Times'' [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/science/math-conway-game-of-life.html publishes an article] reflecting on 50 years of Conway's Game of Life.
* '''December 20''': A [[Bellman]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=116491#p116491 search] by [[Tanner Jacobi]] turns up a new [[stable]] [[catalyst]] that can reset a [[beehive]] that has been pushed over by one cell by a collision.
* '''December 17''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] discovers [https://discord.com/channels/357922255553953794/370571014654001154/789169624842371122 a p61 pattern] that moves one cell per cycle, and can be supported by single-bit sparks, glider streams, or additional copies of the pattern on each side.
* '''December 15''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=115869#p115869 constructs] the first [[Gun#True-period_guns|true]] [[period-28 glider gun]].
* '''December 6''': John Winston Garth [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114481#p114481 discovers] [[doo-dah]], a new small period-21 [[tagalong]] for the [[weekender]], which can be used to create various [[2c/7 orthogonal]] [[puffer]]s and [[rake]]s.
* '''December 5''': [[User_talk:MathAndCode|MathAndCode]] and [[User:yujh|yujh]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114356#p114356 discover] 'NW26T157', a new [[Spartan]] conduit that converts a Herschel into three gliders, similar to [[NW31]] but with one glider on an output [[lane]] of a different [[color]].
* '''December 3-4''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114036#p114036 finds] a final step for a [[turtle]] [[synthesis]], followed by a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114209#p114209 complete 241-glider synthesis] the next day.
* '''November 24''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=112239#p112239 completes] a [[barge crosser]], a mechanism which allows a glider signal to cross an arbitrarily long barge without causing permanent damage.
* '''November 18''': [[Goldtiger997]] finds [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=111260#p111260 glider recipes] that can convert M2 [[minstrel]]s into M3 minstrels and vice versa.
* '''November 15''': [[wwei23]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=110875#p110875 discovers] a new [[sparker]], a period-9 version of a [[heavyweight emulator]].
* '''October 30''': [[Golly]] 4.0 is [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=108478#p108478 officially released].
* '''October 16''': [[Andrew Trevorrow]] makes available the first beta builds for [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=106785#p106785 Golly 4.0], supporting Python 3.x and new rule types and neighborhoods, and enabling multi-color "Super" and "History" support for a wide range of two-state rules.
* '''September 27''': A [[burloaferimeter]] variant [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=105040#p105040 appears] in an asymmetric [[soup]] found by [[Rob Liston]], making it the first natural {{period|7}} oscillator.
* '''September 26''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104930#p104930 completes] [[Speed Demonoid]] version 2, removing the 2c/9 limitation; a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=105167#p105167 Golly script] can now build a spaceship with any rational diagonal speed below c/4 (subject to some practical size limitations).
* '''September 19''': [[MathAndCode]] and [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104484#p104484 construct] a 17-glider [[reverse caber-tosser]], proving that all [[synthesizable]] patterns can be made with no more than 17 gliders and that all synthesizable [[still life]]s can be constructed with no more than one glider per [[bit]].
* '''September 19''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104453#p104453 synthesizes] [[55P9H3V0]], the first period-9 spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''September 18''': [[Pavel Grankovskiy]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104423#p104423 constructs] a complete [[Speed Demonoid]], using double [[crabstretcher]]s to accelerate a [[self-constructing]] [[spaceship]] to 3492022/17833792=1746011/8916896 ≈ 0.1958c, very close to c/5. The new spaceship can be adjusted to match any rational speed slower than 2c/9.
* '''September 15''': [[wwei23]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104102#p104102 discovers] several new 3-engine Corderships, including one that cleans up its trailing blocks with sideways gliders, similar to a 5-, 6-, or [[7-in-a-row Cordership]].
* '''September 9-17''': [[wwei23]] assembles a new type of period-192 [[4-in-a-row Cordership]], and later constructs [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104307#p104307 glider-to-Cordership] and [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=104367#p104367 Cordership-to-glider] [[converter]]s for it.
* '''August 29''': [[User:Goldtiger997|Goldtiger997]] completes a [[synthesis]] of the first known [[2c/5]] [[spaceship]], [[44P5H2V0]], almost thirty years after its discovery; this is the third completed synthesis for a 2c/5 spaceship.
* '''August 23''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] adds to [[slmake]] a fast elbow push recipe created by [[Pavel Grankovskiy]], based on a [[c/4]] diagonal [[crab]] [[wickstretcher]]. This means that [[recipe]]s for self-constructing structures with a not-quite-attainable limit speed of c/4 can now be semi-automatically compiled.
* '''August 16''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102367#p102367 discovers] a 14-glider recipe for a [[crab]] spaceship, down from the previous cost of 16, which can be used to reduce the size and construction cost of a wickstretcher [[seed]].
* '''August 14''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102387#p102387 finds] via [[apgsearch]] a third natural [[loafer]] emerging from asymmetric [[soup]].
* '''August 10''': Syntheses of a variety of [[pufferfish spaceship]]s make their way to [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/census/b3s23/synthesis-costs/xq36 Catagolue], thanks to an extension of the time required in online recipe submissions for all gliders to react.
* '''August 2-18''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=101555#p101555 completes] and later [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=102465#p102465 improves] a [[1G seed]] for a c/4 diagonal [[wickstretcher]], enabling [[self-constructing]] spaceships with the fastest possible diagonal speed of (just below) [[c/4]].
* '''July 29''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=101323#p101323 constructs] a fast diagonal [[Demonoid]] puffer with velocity (4825784,4825784)c/45679544.
* '''July 21''': [[Adam P. Goucher]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=100871#p100871 reduces] the cost of the [[reverse caber-tosser]] constructor to 32 gliders.
* '''July 20''': [[A for awesome]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100822#p100822 completes] a new stable [[L122]] Herschel conduit, based on a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100724#p100724 P2 periodic variant] by [[User:Entity Valkyrie 2|Entity Valkyrie]].
* '''July 18''': A [[glider synthesis]] of [[70P2H1V0.1]] is [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xq2_jimmgozmgmkqa323ms8zq2qamkgggqe4ziiqq26101z1/b3s23 posted to Catagolue] by [[Martin Grant]], making 70P2H1V0.1 the first period-2 spaceship to be synthesized.
* '''July 7''': [[Goldtiger997]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=100181#p100181 completes] a record-breaking [[seed]] [[constellation]] that, when triggered by a single gliders, turn into a clean 100-glider recipe for a c/5 spaceship, [[58P5H1V1]]. This potentially improves the unreachable upper bound on Demonoid speed from c/12 to c/5.
* '''July 1''': A [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99834#p99834 collaborative effort] results in a series of HWSS Heisenburp circuits much smaller than the previous best known devices. Recovery time is under 1400 ticks. Some versions can also detect [[flotilla]]s with an HWSS along one edge.
* '''June 20-30''': Several new signal converter circuits are constructed, including [[Luka Okanishi]]'s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99516#p99516 242-tick 30P5H2V0-to-G] and [[Goldtiger997]]'s 290-tick [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99516#p99196 HWSS-to-G]. Many others are catalogued [[User:Goldtiger997/Spaceship_Stable_Circuitry|here]].
* '''June 6-30''': [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99834#p99834 JP21's] and then [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99833&#p99833 Jeremy Tan's] eater collections spark new interest, and eaters are found for several previously inedible spaceships such as [[dragon]], [[Canada goose]], and [[brain]].
* '''June 8''': A [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=98622#p98622 collaborative effort] produces a fully universal *WSS-to-glider [[converter]] that recovers in only 588 ticks, and works even if moved by an odd number of cells along the input [[lane]].
* '''June 7''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=98586#p98586 completes] an adjustable-width [[c/5 orthogonal]] [[wickstretcher]] using components by [[Keith Amling]] and [[Hartmut Holzwart]].
* '''June 5''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] completes a mechanism suggested by [[Martin Grant]] to make a [[Bandersnatch]], a [[glider-constructible]] [[color-changing]] glider shifter with a recovery time of only 70 ticks.
* '''May 25''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] and [[Goldtiger997]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=97701#p97701 find] improved [[highway robber]]s with better [[clearance]] and 876- and 873-tick [[recovery time]]s.
* '''May 22''': [[Entity Valkyrie]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=97489#p97489 constructs] a [[gun]] for [[58P5H1V1]], the first gun to produce a [[c/5 diagonal]] spaceship.
* '''May 9''': The [[silverfish]], a self-supporting 31c/240 [[caterpillar]]-type spaceship designed using the [[slow salvo]] recipe from the [[Centipede]] but a simpler front end, [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96462#p96462 is completed].
* '''May 6''': [[Goldtiger997]] solves the problem of glider-constructing all [[Still_life#Pseudo_still_lifes|pseudo still life]]s consisting of [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96210#p96210 4×N chunks] of blocks [[agar]].
* '''May 3-4''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] adapts [[Martin Grant]]'s new [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=95988#p95988 HL161H conduit] to make a new compact [[color-changing]] [[edge shooter]], [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=96093#p96093 HSW47T214].
* '''Apr. 21''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=95336#p95336 discovers] [[49768M]], the longest-lasting known [[methuselah]] fitting within a 16×16 [[bounding box]].
* '''Apr. 11''': [[John Horton Conway]], the inventor of [[Conway's Game of Life]], dies in Princeton, NJ at the age of 82.
* '''Apr. 8''': [[Louis-François Handfield]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93647#p93647 constructs] a much faster and more compact [[universal regulator]].
* '''Apr. 3''': [[Goldtiger997]], [[Tanner Jacobi]], and others [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93167#p93167 complete] the [[glider synthesis]] for [[58P5H1V1]], the first synthesis for a [[c/5 diagonal]] [[spaceship]].
* '''Apr. 1''': A [[loafer]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=93011#p93011 appears] for the first time in an [[asymmetric]] [[soup]], submitted to [[Catagolue]] by [[John Goodman]]. Coincidentally, this occurred exactly two years after [[Dave Greene]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=58727#p58727 posted] a fake soup for April Fools' Day 2018.
* '''Mar. 25''': [[Martin Grant]] and others [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=92323#p92323 complete] the [[glider synthesis]] for [[56P6H1V0]], the first synthesis for a [[c/6 orthogonal]] [[spaceship]] and the first for a {{periodS|6}} [[spaceship]].
* '''Mar. 22''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] uses [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search] to find [[186P7H2V0]], a third [[2c/7 orthogonal]] spaceship, part of an infinite family based on a known 2c/7 [[wave]].
* '''Mar. 22''': [[Goldtiger997]] completes the activation stage for a recipe for [[56P6H1V0]], which along with the [[spider]] and [[weekender]] is now one of the largest [[elementary]] spaceships for which a [[glider synthesis]] can (presumably) be completed.
* '''Mar. 17''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=91518#p91518 discovers] [[409P6H1V0]], the narrowest known [[c/6 orthogonal]] spaceship, using [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search].
* '''Mar. 9''': [[Richard K. Guy]], discoverer of the [[glider]], [https://aperiodical.com/2020/03/richard-k-guy-1916-2020/ passes away] at the age of 103.
* '''Feb. 9''': [[Rob Liston]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=89261#p89261 discovers] a new p16 oscillator, [[Rob's p16]], using [[apgsearch]]. It is the smallest known p16 by both [[population]] and [[bounding box]], the first p16 to appear from an asymmetric [[soup]], the first [[strictly volatile]] p16, and the first new [[rotor]] to be discovered by asymmetric soup search since the 1980s.
* '''Feb. 8''': All 19-bit [[still life]]s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=89061#p89061 are confirmed] to have valid [[glider syntheses]].
* '''Jan. 26''': [[Dave Greene]] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4279 creates] LifeSuper, an extended version of [[LifeHistory]] for advanced pattern annotation.
* '''Jan. 26''': Entity Valkyrie [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=88186#p88186 constructs] a period-11040 [[spider]] [[gun]], the first gun to fire a [[c/5 orthogonal]] spaceship.
* '''Jan. 13''': [[Matthias Merzenich]] sets up a [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4260 new "manually distributed" search] (table [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/User:Sokwe/C/8-width-19 here]), to find out whether a symmetric c/8 spaceship exists at width 19.
* '''Jan. 9''': [[Nathaniel Johnston]] completes a long-running enumeration of [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=87225#p87225 34-bit still lifes], finding 35,422,864,104 strict still lifes with 34 bits, and 41,058,173,683 pseudo still lifes with the same bit count, including 26 [[triple pseudo still life]]s.
* '''Jan. 5''': A Rules namespace update on the LifeWiki allows [[LifeViewer]] to display in-browser many patterns using rule tables and trees, which previously couldn't be simulated without copying them into Golly.

==2019==
* '''Dec. 30''': [[Andrew J. Wade]] uses his search program, [https://gitlab.com/andrew-j-wade/life_slice_ship_search life_slice_ship_search], to find the second elementary 2c/7 spaceship, [[scholar]].
* '''Dec. 29''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=86668#p86668 synthesises] a variant of [[David Hilbert]].
* '''Dec. 28''': [[Martin Grant]] finds a [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=86644#p86644 counterexample] to a 22-year old conjecture by [[Dean Hickerson]] about still-life finitization.
* '''Dec. 25''': Pavgran assembles [[Slavic]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=86540#p86540], a quadratic-growth pattern similar to [[Hydra]] that doesn't need a central gun.
* '''Dec. 9''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=86121#p86121 reduces] the cost of the [[spider]] synthesis by over 100 gliders.
* '''Dec. 1''': [[Martin Grant]] [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85900#p85900 discovers] a new period-49 oscillator based on a partial result by [[Jason Summers]].
* '''Nov. 24''': Luka Okanishi [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85719#p85719 discovers] a [[David Hilbert|period-23 oscillator]], leaving [[Omniperiodic|only four periods]] for which no non-trivial oscillator is known.
* '''Nov. 20''': [[Dongook Lee]] finds a [[p7 pipsquirter]] that is [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85532#p85532 significantly smaller] than the old [[p7 pipsquirter]], leading to bounding-box reductions in the gun collection and various oscillators.
* '''Nov. 18''': [[Tanner Jacobi]], Goldtiger997 and others find improved recipes for a number of difficult-to-synthesize still lifes, reducing the maximum cost for 16-bit still lifes to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85457#p85457 14 gliders].
* '''Nov. 17''': Michael Simkin uses [[pi calculator]] and [[Osqrtlogt]] technology to build a Life pattern that prints the song [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=85414#p85414 "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall"].
* '''Nov. 12''': Bullet51 and Aidan F. Pierce discover [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85245#p85245 new] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85246#p85246 sparky] [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1437&p=85249#p85249 period-13 oscillators].
* '''Nov. 4''': [[Alex Greason]], [[Arie Paap]], BlinkerSpawn, and [[Dongook Lee]] collaborate on the [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84877#p84877 discovery of phoenix agar oscillators] on different-sized tori, which can [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84994#p84994 reproduce the behavior of XOR oscillators] in other rules (see [https://oeis.org/A160657 OEIS A160657]).
* '''Oct. 28''': Goldtiger997 [https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1557&p=84593#p84593 finds] a 64-glider [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] for the [[27P4H1V1]] spaceship (later reduced to [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=85966#p85966 31 gliders]).
* '''Oct. 22''': Goldtiger997 [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=84423#p84423 constructs] a p612 [[gun]] for the [[46P4H1V0]] spaceship.
* '''Oct. 9''': All 18-bit [[still life]]s [https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=83979#p83979 are confirmed] to have valid [[glider syntheses]].
* '''Sep. 9''': The 17-in-17 Project [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=82560#p82560 is completed], showing that every 17-bit [[still life]] can be [[glider synthesis|constructed]] using at most 16 [[glider]]s.
* '''Aug. 15''': Update to a previous news item from 21 April 2019 (see archive): all 15-bit [[still life]]s can [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=81277#p81277 now be constructed] with at most 12 [[glider]]s.
* '''July 16''': [[Dave Greene]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=79686#p79686 constructs] a [[large prime oscillator]] with a period equal to the largest Mersenne prime currently known, 2<sup>82589933</sup>-1.
* '''June 19''': A [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=78036&#p78036 huge long-term collaborative effort] is completed, showing that all glider-constructible [[still life]]s can (at least in theory) be constructed using less than two [[glider]]s per [[bit]].
* '''June 2''': Goldtiger997 completes a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=77029#p77029 glider-to-25P3H1V0.2 converter], based on [[Martin Grant]]'s [[25P3H1V0.2]] synthesis from 2017.
* '''May 29''': Thomas Cabaret makes available a [https://cp4space.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/self-replicator-caught-on-video/ Passe-Science video] featuring [[self-constructing]] CA patterns, including several minutes showing details of the [[0E0P metacell]].
* '''May 25''': Goldtiger997 completes a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76686#p76686 glider-to-crab converter], with the help of a script implementing a universal glider synchronization [[toolkit]].
* '''May 24-30''': christoph.r posts several [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76645#p76645 unusual breeder designs] based on c/10 technology, including [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76901#p76901 some variants] on a [[pufferfish]] [[breeder]].
* '''May 9''': GilGil makes available a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=76571#p76571 huge but elegant 60-line printer] traveling at c/10, based on fleets of [[fireship]]s.
* '''Apr. 21''': [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75278#p75278 Improvements to glider syntheses] mean that every 15-bit still life has a recipe with at most 13 gliders. For current maximum costs, see the table in [https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Glider_synthesis#Still_life_syntheses Still-life syntheses].
* '''Apr. 17''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] and [[Matthias Merzenich]] set several new bounding-box records with a [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75185#p75185 new glider gun mechanism] based on filtered MWSSes.
* '''Apr. 14''': [[Michael Simkin]] completes a [[self-constructing]] puffer pattern which he calls [[Remini]] ("retro Gemini"), using a single-channel design with nothing but 1970s circuit mechanisms.
* '''Apr. 10''': [[Jeremy Tan]] releases a new glider recipe database, [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74753#p74753 Shinjuku], specifically for tracking lowest-cost syntheses.
* '''Apr. 6-7''': [[LifeViewer]] standardizes support for [[triangular neighbourhood]]s starting with Build 320.
* '''Apr. 5''': An exhaustive computer search run by [[Nathaniel Johnston]] reveals that there are 14,223,867,298 strict and 15,851,861,075 pseudo [[:Category:Still lifes with 33 cells|33-bit]] [[still life]]s, including eleven pseudo still lifes that can be partitioned into [[Triple pseudo still life|three stable pieces but not two]], and none that can be partitioned into [[Quad pseudo still life|four stable pieces but not two or three]].[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74524#p74524]
* '''Mar. 27''': The last remaining [[:Category:Strict still lifes with 14 cells|14-bit]] [[still life]], [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xs14_4ai3zwo9a4/b3s23 xs14_4ai3zwo9a4], appears in a [[symmetry|C1]] [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]], in a haul submitted by an anonymous user.[http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=74007#p74007]
* '''Mar. 24''': [[apgsearch]] v5.03 gains the ability to log 'megasized' [[soup]]s with final [[population]]s exceeding 3,000.[https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/apgmera/commit/2133cb40147cbb7b70f1a5fb4709f8f3b2feb6f7] [[Apgsearch#Version_5.x|apgsearch 5.x]] can also pre-process asymmetric C1 B3/S23 soups on GPUs with CUDA support.[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=73557#p73557]
* '''Mar. 7''': A [[spider]] [[glider synthesis|synthesis]] using 574 [[glider]]s and 9 [[LWSS]]es is found by [[Martin Grant]]. [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=72705#p72705]
* '''Mar. 3''': A [[figure eight on pentadecathlon|period-120 oscillator]], the highest period thus far, occurs from a natural [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]].
* '''Mar. 2''': Several symmetric-soup [[diehard]]s with [https://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/messless_15h/b3s23 lifespans over 1500 ticks] are found by 'carybe', using [[apgsearch]].
* '''Feb. 12''': A [[lightweight Schick engine]] appears from a natural (C1) [[soup]] on [[Catagolue]].
* '''Feb. 9''': A [[47575M|47,575-tick 16x16 methuselah]] found by Adam Goucher via [[apgsearch]] yields a 16-cell, 47,487-tick methuselah. This discovery skips over several empty 1000-tick bins in [[Catagolue]] above the previous record 16x16 methuselah, [[Homer]].
* '''Feb. 4''': A glider detection and removal upgrade in [[apgsearch]] version 4.91 gives a search speed boost of well over 50% compared to version 4.88.
* '''Feb. 4''': [[Tanner Jacobi]] and [[Martin Grant]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=69591#p69591 find a recipe], subsequently reduced to 88 gliders, for the first-ever synthesizable [[c/4]] spaceship, [[46P4H1V0]].
* '''Jan. 21 - Feb. 1''': Additional (2,1)c/6 [[minstrel]]s and spaceship connections are found, bringing the number of combinations of elementary minstrels into double digits.
* '''Jan. 25''': the ''[[Pattern of the Year#2018|Pattern of the Year 2018]]'' competition concludes, with [[Sir Robin]] taking first place.
* '''Jan. 25''': [[LifeViewer]] [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68595#p68595 build 282] goes live on the LifeWiki and forums, with several enhancements including new labeling functionality.
* '''Jan. 20''': [[Catagolue]] collects a record-setting longest-lived asymmetrical 16x16 [[diehard]], with a lifespan of 1058 ticks.
* '''Jan. 17''': A new period-8 domino sparker, [[230P8]], is [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68099p68099 discovered by Arie Paap] and [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=68104#p68104 reduced by 'Bullet51'].
* '''Jan 16-18''': Four new [[minstrel]]s are found, plus a lucky connection of an existing minstrel to [[knightwave]], creating for the first time a [[grammar]] that allows for an infinite number of distinct [[elementary]] [[knightship]]s.
* '''Jan 10''': A new period-24 oscillator, [[dueling banjos]], turns up in an [[apgsearch]] soup search. Uses so far include a smaller [[period-24 glider gun]], with associated improvements to p16 and p48 glider guns and a p48 LWSS gun.
* '''Jan 3-7''': Record-setting [[diehard]]s are found by [[Rob Liston]] and [[Apple Bottom]] via [[apgsearch]].

==2018==
* '''Dec 7''': A new oblique [[camelship]], much smaller and lower population than the [[Spaceship#Adjustable_spaceships|Gemini 3 variant]] from 2010, is completed by Chris Cain.
* '''Dec 2''': The value of V, the lowest number for which an oscillator can be constructed with strict [[volatility]] 1 for that or any higher period, is reduced to [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=66138#p66138 3,506,909 ticks].
* '''Nov 30''': Adam P. Goucher sets another new record using the latest apgsearch by finding "Homer", a [[42883M|16x16 methuselah with a lifespan of 42883 ticks]].
* '''Nov 28''': An update to [[slsparse]] allows it to recognize [[45-degree MWSS-to-G]] converters in any orientation, and use unidirectional [[slow salvo]] recipes to construct them.
* '''Nov 18''': Entity Valkyrie discovers a new period-13 [[FNG]] suppression mechanism, allowing the [[true]] [[period-52 glider gun]] to be reduced to less than a seventh of its previous size.
* '''Nov 12''': A working [[0E0P metacell]] is announced by [[Adam P. Goucher]], along with [https://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2018/11/new-tools-for-self-construction.html several improvements] to [[slmake]], the program used to compile the metacell.
* '''Oct 31''': An update to [[apgsearch]] sets another new record by finding a [[42100M|16x16 methuselah]] with a lifespan of 42,100 ticks.
* '''Oct 31''': A self-constructing "loopship", a new type of spaceship with a non-[[Geminoid]] design, is completed by [[Dave Greene]].
* '''Oct 30''': A [[periodic]] (p5 or p4) [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=65290#p65198 quinti-Snark] is constructed by Tanner Jacobi, with the usual implications for reductions to the glider gun collection.
* '''Oct 29''': [[apgluxe]] v4.56-[[lifelib|ll]]2.0.5 and [[Catagolue]] add support for [[BSFKL]] rules.
* '''Oct 28''': A record-setting 39,693-tick methuselah, [[Wilma]], is discovered by [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=&p=65124#p65124 Rob Liston] using a custom FPGA [[soup]] searcher.
* '''Oct 27''': An [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=65112#p65111 new LWSS synthesis] by [[Chris Cain]] allows for [[LWSS]], [[MWSS]], and [[HWSS]] guns with [[pseudo]] [[period]]s as low as 18. 18 is the minimum for HWSS streams.)
* '''Oct 21''': [[Hartmut Holzwart]] completes a [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64968#p64968 two-dimensionally extensible wick-supporting pushalong] with a minimum width of over a thousand cells.
* '''Oct 21''': New [[Orthogonoid]]s with periods 2<sup>27</sup> and 2<sup>28</sup> are [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64949#p64949 constructed] by [[Dave Greene]], followed by a 2<sup>25</sup> version by [[Adam P. Goucher]].
* '''Oct 12''': A new [[:Category:Oscillators with period 14|period-14]] [[oscillator]], [[34P14.1]], is found by 'carybe'.
* '''Oct 11''': Christoph R. [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64623#p64623 discovers] a [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64627#p64627 new Fireship tagalong].
* '''Oct 10''': [[Dave Greene]] [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64590#p64590 completes the construction] of two new [[HashLife]]-friendly [[Demonoid]]s.
* '''Oct 07''': [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64619#p64489 A complex 140-glider synthesis] of a c/2 signal traveling along a diagonal long<sup>N</sup> barge [[wire]] is completed by Martin Grant.
* '''Oct 03''': A [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64315#p64315 p4 [[bouncer]] reflector] is constructed by Arie Paap. With the p9 reflector, this completes the set of [[colour-changing]] and [[colour-preserving]] reflectors with periods from 4 to 9.
* '''Oct 02''': A p9 reflector is discovered [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1452&start=1750#p64309 by Matthias Merzenich and "carybe"] based on Noam Elkies' [[bouncer]] reaction. This is the first reflector capable of reflecting a p27 glider stream.
* '''Oct 02''': A [[true]] p33 gun is discovered [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3552&p=64281#p64266 by Arie Paap and Matthias Merzenich].
* '''Sep 27''': A [[true]] [[p52 gun]] is [http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64084#p64084 completed by a collaborative effort].
* '''Sep 9''': [[Dave Greene]] completes the construction of a stable [[line crosser]] with a [[repeat time]] of 501 ticks.
* '''Jul 15/19''': The [[Minstrel]]s, a group of [[tagalong]]s for [[Sir Robin]], are discovered.
* '''Jun 14''': The [https://b3s23life.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-meaning-of-life-is-42-but-cost-of.html construction] of a [[reverse caber-tosser]] shows that any [[glider synthesis|glider-constructible]] object can be constructed with at most 35 [[glider]]s.
* '''Apr 04''': A [[p3 bumper|p3 reflector]] is discovered by Arie Paap based on Tanner Jacobi's [[bumper]] reaction. This is the first reflector capable of reflecting a p39 glider stream.
* '''Mar 06''': [[Sir Robin]], the first [[elementary]] [[knightship]] in [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]], is discovered by [[Adam P. Goucher]] and [[Tomas Rokicki|Tom Rokicki]].
* '''Feb 19''': The [[2-engine Cordership]] wins the 2017 [[Pattern of the Year]] competition, with [[Tanner's p46]] taking second place.

==2009==
{{LifeWiki:News/600 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/500 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/400 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/300 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/200 pattern milestone}}
{{LifeWiki:News/LifeWiki goes live}}

==Also see==
* [[LifeWiki:Did you know archive]]