Superstring

A superstring is an infinite orthogonal row of cells stabilized on one side so that it moves at the speed of light, often leaving debris behind. The first examples were found in 1971 by Edward Fitzgerald and Robert Wainwright. Superstrings were studied extensively by Peter Rott between 1992 and 1994, and he found examples with many different periods. In August 1998, Stephen Silver proved that odd-period superstrings are impossible.

Waveguides

Sometimes a finite section of a superstring can be made to run between two tracks, known as waveguide. This gives a fuse that can be made as wide as desired. The first example was found by Tony Smithurst and uses tubs. Shortly after seeing this example, in March 1997 Peter Rott found another superstring track consisting of boats. At present these are the only two orthogonal waveguides known. Both are destroyed by the superstring as it moves along — it would be interesting to find one that remains intact.

x = 53, y = 21, rule = B3/S23 b2o$o2bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo$4bobobobobobobobobobobobo bobobobobobobobobobobobobo$o2bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo$b 3o$2b2o$2b2o$3bo$3bo$3bo$3bo$3bo$3bo$3bo$2b2o$2b2o$b3o$o2bo3bo3bo3bo3b o3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo$4bobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobob obobobo$o2bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo$b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ WIDTH 850 HEIGHT 400 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 14 ]]

Waveguide 1, a superstring running between two rows of tubs (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

The first example of a diagonal waveguide was discovered by Resu in July 2025 and uses extended barges. It is also the third waveguide known overall. At present this is the only known clean diagonal waveguide.

#N Diagonal waveguide x = 77, y = 93, rule = B3/S23 75bo$74bobo$73bobo$72bobo$71bobo$70bobo$69bobo$68bobo$67bobo$66bobo$65b obo$64bobo$63bobo$62bobo$61bobo$60bobo$59bobo$58bobo$57bobo$56bobo$55b obo$54bobo$53bobo$52bobo$51bobo$50bobo$49bobo$48bobo$47bobo$46bobo26b o$45bobo26bobo$44bobo26bobo$43bobo26bobo$42bobo26bobo$41bobo26bobo$40b obo26bobo$39bobo26bobo$38bobo26bobo$37bobo26bobo$36bobo26bobo$35bobo26b obo$34bo2bo25bobo$33bo3bo24bobo$31b3o3bo23bobo$29b3obo3bo22bobo$29bob obo3bo21bobo$29b2o2bo3bo20bobo$33bo3bo19bobo$33bo3bo18bobo$27bo5bo3bo 17bobo$33bo3bo16bobo$25bo7bo3bo15bobo$29bo3bo3bo14bobo$25bo3bo3bo3bo13b obo$25bo3bo3bo3bo12bobo$25bo3bo3bo3bo11bobo$25bo3bo3bo3bo10bobo$25bo3b o3bo3bo9bobo$25bo3bo3bo3bo8bobo$25bo3bo3bo3bo7bobo$25bo3bo3bo3bo6bobo $25bo3bo3bo3bo5bobo$25bo3bo3bo3bo4bobo$25bo3bo3bo3bo3bobo$14bo10bo3bo 3bo3bo2bobo$12bo2bo2bobo4bo3bo3bo3bobobo$11bo3bobo7bo3bo3bo3b2obo$10b o6bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bobo$13bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3bo3b2o$9bo3bo4bobo4bo3bo3bo3bo $9bo3bo5bo6bobo5bobo$6b2obo3bo13bo6b3o$5bo2b2o3bo$5bobo2bobo$6bo3bo20b 3o$9b2o19bo2bo$8b4o16bo4bo$8b5o2b3o10b3o$11bobob3o13bo$12b3obo7bo4b2o $12bo6b2o2bobo3bo$12bo5bo6bob2o$19bo4bo2b2o$25bobo$20bo3b2o$20bo5bo$21b o3bo$b2o2b2o$b2o3b2o6bo7b2o$bo3b2o7bo$o2b4o7bobo$bo2b2o$2b3o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ WIDTH 850 HEIGHT 900 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 9 ]]

A superstring running between two diagonal rows of extended barges (click above to open LifeViewer)

See also

• Titanic toroidal traveler
• Waveguide 1

External links

• Waveguide on Wikipedia
• Superstring theory on Wikipedia

External links

• Superstring at the Life Lexicon