The document discusses Conway's Game of Life, a cellular automaton invented by mathematician John Conway. It is a zero-player game where cells on a grid can be either alive or dead, following four simple rules: birth, survival, overpopulation, and underpopulation. Interesting patterns can emerge such as still lifes that don't change, oscillators that repeat patterns, spaceships that move while keeping their shape, and long-living configurations like Methuselah that survives for over 100 steps. Examples of patterns are provided and links for further information.
