What We Learn From Running ‘Life’ in Reverse
Imagine a set of simple building blocks that can self-assemble into any shape you want. Digital “neural cellular automata” work this way, and might offer a whole new structure for computing.
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Show Notes
Imagine a set of simple building blocks that can self-assemble into any shape you want. The possibilities for such a technology could be boundless. Inspired by nature, “complexity engineering” seeks to design such blocks, building on a classic computer simulation. On this week’s episode, host Samir Patel speaks with contributing writer George Musser about recent developments in so-called cellular automata. This topic was covered in a recent story for Quanta Magazine.
Each week on The Quanta Podcast, Quanta Magazine editor in chief Samir Patel speaks with the people behind the award-winning publication to navigate through some of the most important and mind-expanding questions in science and math.
Audio coda courtesy of the Simons Foundation.