OCA:2×2

2x2 is a Life-like cellular automaton in which cell birth occurs with 3 or 6 neighbors, and survival occurs on 1, 2 or 5. Patterns in the rule have a similar chaotic evolution to the standard Life rules, although the chaos dies out much sooner.

Notable Patterns

A large variety of still lifes and oscillators appear spontaneously from randomly generated starting states. There is also a rare spaceship, which travels at c/8 diagonally.

Some example still lifes in 2x2.

Still Lifes

Still patterns are generally smaller in 2x2 than in Life; the smallest occuring have populations of only 2 cells. In 2x2, still patterns tend to be similar to Life in terms of structure; ie. forming patterns with islands stabilising each other. Many still patterns from life also work in 2x2, For example, the beehive, tub, loaf, pond and mango.

Oscillators

A large variety of patterns of many periods occur naturally in 2x2. Naturally occuring oscillator periods include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 14, 17, 22 and 26.

Naturally occurring P2's.

Other oscillators can be made from 2xn boxes. For example, when n=4 a p2 oscillator is formed, and when n=8, the rectangle oscillates at p6.

Spaceships

There are a selection of ships known in 2x2 . Of these, only one is known to occur naturally from random soups. It travels at c/8 diagonally.

The c/8 gilder.

Other patterns

No infinite-growth mechanisms (guns, puffers etc.) have yet been discovered in 2x2.