NewLifeCA discussion thread

[dvgrn]

It's probably about time for another NewLifeCA issue or two. I intend to write up an issue on the new c/4 diagonal technology soon (especially given today's new discoveries). Before that, there should be an issue covering the various other Life results...

I've done a relatively brief email summary for everything I could think of offhand, except for new c/4 diagonal tech and the new L141 conduit. Four months was way too long to go between updates, so it was time to either post something quick, or give up the NewLifeCA project entirely.

I think the reason why it ended up being four months between emails, is that the format that works for the NewLifeCA emails is just irreducibly different from the format that works for back issues here on the forums. In emails, too many links and overly large RLEs will just make the message ugly and awkwardly un-scrollable to the point of unreadability -- there's no standard easy way in an email to just "scroll to the next descriptive text", so finding the end of a long RLE is just plain painful, no matter if one is copying it out or just trying to see what the email message says right after the RLE is done.

Trying a new plan for 2024
It seems like it's time to acknowledge the difference between email format and forum-post format, and make better use of them both.

- I'll write a placeholder for the back issue first, then copy its URL link and put it right near the top of the email, along with a boilerplate promise that that link is the NewLifeCA-back-issue version of the email, and will contain extra easy-access links and pattern RLE that doesn't fit in the email.

- Then I'll write the rest of the email, focusing on a text-only summary of almost everything -- maybe just a few RLEs or even ASCII-picture patterns, if they're very small, and maybe a few LifeWiki links. But RLEs or links that are long enough to be awkward or unreadable will mostly be skipped for the sake of email scrollability.

- Then I'll copy the email, put the full text into the back issue, add RLEs inside LifeViewer pattern tags, add links, and save those changes.

- Then I'll actually send the email.

I tried this plan for the most recent message, and it saved all kinds of time, compared to writing the same thing in two completely different formats (RLE and URLs and all) and keeping everything in sync.

[TYCF]

I've done a relatively brief email summary for everything I could think of offhand, except for new c/4 diagonal tech and the new L141 conduit. Four months was way too long to go between updates, so it was time to either post something quick, or give up the NewLifeCA project entirely.

I think that is the wrong link.

EDIT by dvgrn: So it was! One digit off by one. Now fixed in the original.

[Sokwe]

NewLifeCA #47, 30 April 2024

Brief addendum:

New p7 Spaceships
Period-7 spaceships are quite rare, so it's a bit of a surprise when two unrelated p7 ships are found in a short period of time. On March 21, 2024, Caleb R. Hilton found a 2c/7 orthogonal tagalong for two weekenders. Matthias Merzenich then found a related smaller tagalong, and conwaylife.com user May13 found ways to connect these tagalongs to some existing components, one of which had no previously known supports.

Code: Select all

#C New 2c/7 orthogonal tagalongs by Caleb R. Hilton and
#C Matthias Merzenich, with component connections by May13
x = 82, y = 124, rule = B3/S23
33bo17bo$32bobo15bobo$31bo3bo13bo3bo$32bobo15bobo$32b3o15b3o2$bo12bo
16b2ob3o11b3ob2o$3o10b3o17b2o2bo9bo2b2o$3o10b3o17b2o3bo7bo3b2o$34b2ob
3o5b3ob2o$36b2ob2o3b2ob2o$3bo3b2o3bo28bobo28bo$bob4o2b4obo22bo3bobo3bo
23bobo$bob4o2b4obo23bobo3bobo23bo3bo$39bo5bo25bobo3b2o$5b6o4b3o17b3o9b
3o17b3o2bo2b2o2bo$4b2o4b2o62bo3bo$4b2o4b2o62bo2b2o$15b3o17b3o9b3o17b3o
4bo2b2o$16bo19bo11bo19bo5b2o2bo$17bo17bo13bo17bo9bo$19b2o11b2o17b2o11b
2o10b2obo$20b2o9b2o19b2o9b2o$16b2o3bo9bo3b2o11b2o3bo9bo3b2o$16b3o2b3o
5b3o2b3o11b3o2b3o5b3o2b3o6b3o$18bo2b3o5b3o2bo15bo2b3o5b3o2bo$19bo2b2o
5b2o2bo17bo2b2o5b2o2bo11b2o$20b3o7b3o19b3o7b3o12b2o$18bob3o7b3obo15bob
3o7b3obo9b2o$21b2o7b2o21b2o7b2o10b2o2bo$19bobo9bobo17bobo9bobo7bobobo$
19b3o9b3o17b3o9b3o7bo2b3o$19bobo9bobo17bobo9bobo6b3o2b2o$21b2o7b2o21b
2o7b2o9b2o2b2o$18b2o13b2o15b2o13b2o12bo$19b2o11b2o17b2o11b2o14bo$19b2o
11b2o17b2o11b2o11bo2bo$20bobo7bobo19bobo7bobo12bo2bo$23bo5bo25bo5bo15b
3o$76bobo$21b2o7b2o21b2o7b2o11bob2o$20bo11bo19bo11bo12bobo$19bobo9bobo
17bobo9bobo10b2obobo$19bob2o7b2obo17bob2o7b2obo12b2obo$18b2obo9bob2o
15b2obo9bob2o13b2o$18bo15bo15bo15bo$19bobo9bobo17bobo9bobo$19bo13bo17b
o13bo$19b3ob2o3b2ob3o17b3ob2o3b2ob3o$18bo4b2o3b2o4bo15bo4b2o3b2o4bo$
17bo6bo3bo6bo13bo6bo3bo6bo$22b2o5b2o23b2o5b2o$16b2ob4o7b4ob2o11b2ob4o
7b4ob2o$16b2o17b2o11b2o17b2o2$17bo5b3ob3o5bo13bo5b3ob3o5bo$17bob5obobo
b5obo13bob5obobob5obo$21bo3bobo3bo21bo3bobo3bo$18b2ob4o3b4ob2o15b2ob4o
3b4ob2o$18b3ob2o5b2ob3o15b3ob2o5b2ob3o2$24b2ob2o27b2ob2o$25bobo29bobo$
23b2o3b2o25b2o3b2o$22bobo3bobo23bobo3bobo$22b2o5b2o23b2o5b2o$22bo7bo
23bo7bo$23b3ob3o25b3ob3o$25bobo29bobo$23bobobobo25bobobobo$21bo3bobo3b
o21bo3bobo3bo$21b3obobob3o21b3obobob3o$24bo3bo27bo3bo$26bo31bo$20bo4b
3o4bo19bo4b3o4bo$21bo9bo21bo9bo$23b3ob3o25b3ob3o2$24b2ob2o27b2ob2o$24b
2ob2o28bobo$55bobobobo$22b9o23b2obobob2o$22bo3bo3bo24bo5bo$20bobo7bobo
$19bo2b2o5b2o2bo19b2o7b2o$20bobobo3bobobo19bob2o5b2obo$21bo3bobo3bo19b
2ob2o5b2ob2o$22bobo3bobo21bob2o5b2obo$22bo7bo19bo2bo9bo2bo$22bo7bo18bo
6b2ob2o6bo$21b3o5b3o17bo4bo7bo4bo$21bo2bo3bo2bo18b2o4b2ob2o4b2o$20b2o
9b2o20b3o5b3o$20bobo7bobo22bo5bo$19b2o11b2o$18bobo11bobo$18bobo11bobo$
18bobo11bobo$21bo9bo$19bobo9bobo$21b2o7b2o$21b3o5b3o$21b2obo3bob2o$20b
o3b2ob2o3bo$19b2o3bo3bo3b2o$18bo5bo3bo5bo$17bobo3b3ob3o3bobo$17bo2bo2b
o5bo2bo2bo$18bobo11bobo$24b2ob2o$19bo2bo3bo3bo2bo$23bo5bo$20bo2bo5bo2b
o$20b3o7b3o$18bo2bo9bo2bo$20bo11bo$17bo5b3ob3o5bo$17bobobobo5bobobobo$
18bo4b2o3b2o4bo$23bo5bo$19bo2bo7bo2bo$19b2obo7bob2o$19b3o9b3o$18b2o13b
2o!

More significantly, on April 17, 2024, Hilton found only the fourth known elementary c/7 orthogonal spaceships.

Code: Select all

#C The fourth known elementary c/7 orthogonal spaceship
#C Caleb R. Hilton, April 17, 2024
x = 19, y = 35, rule = B3/S23
4bo9bo$6bo5bo$bo5bo3bo5bo$8bobo$2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o2$4bo9bo$3bobo7bobo$
2bo4b2ob2o4bo$2o3b4ob4o3b2o$o3bo9bo3bo$2bo13bo$2bo13bo2$3b5o3b5o$7bo3b
o$8bobo3$5b9o2$4bobo5bobo$3b2o9b2o$3b3o7b3o$3b2o9b2o$2bo2bobo3bobo2bo$
b2o5bobo5b2o$2bobo2bo3bo2bobo$5b2o5b2o2$2bo2b2o5b2o2bo$2bo2b2o5b2o2bo$
6bo5bo$3b2o9b2o$3bo11bo!

The strong leading sparks immediately solved several previously known partial results by Hilton, Merzenich, Frank Everdij, and Hartmut Holzwart.

Code: Select all

#C Pushalongs for a new c/7 orthogonal spaceship
#C By Caleb R. Hilton, Matthias Merzenich,
#C Frank Everdij, and Hartmut Holzwart
x = 401, y = 103, rule = B3/S23
15bo5bo$15bobob2obo200b3o$15b2obob3o197bo$17bobo199bo4bo$19bo200bo$16b
o204b2o$14b3o3b2o199bobo$14bobo5bo198bob2o$14bobob2obo197bob2o$20bo
198bobo$16b2obo$17bo3bo199bobo$22bo198bobo$18bo2b2o198b2o2$216b3o$216b
3o$18b5o193bobo$17bo5b2o190bo2b2o$16bo197bo3bob2o$16bo7bo189bo4b3o$22b
o190bo2bo4bo$19b2o195bo$17bo2bo3bo$17b2o2bo3bo191b5o$16bo2bo2bo191bo2b
5o$18b5ob2o189b2o2b4o$19bobo192b2o164bo$19b3o193bo7bo155bobo$19b2o193b
o7bo156bobo$16b3ob2o149bo5bo38bo157bo5bo5bo$16b2o152bobo3bobo35bobo
156bobo9bobo$17bo152bobo3bobo35b2ob3o152bo3bo3bo3bo3bo$171b2o3b2o39bo
2bo152b2obob2ob2obob2o$171b3ob3o40bo157b2o5b2o$15bo152bo2bo5bo2bo37bob
2o154b2obobob2o$14bobobob3o145bo3b2ob2o3bo34b2obo158bobobobo$14b2o2bo
149bo11bo35bob2o158bo3bo$17bobo193b2obo$18bo148b2o11b2o30bo4bo159b2o3b
2o$18b2o56bo25bo68b2o3b2o34b2obo157bobo9bobo$14bo2b2ob2o53bobo23bobo
25bo25bo11b3obobobobob3o32bobo155bobobobo3bobobobo$14bob2o3b2o52bo2bo
21bo2bo24bobo23bobo12bo3bobo3bo36bo155bobo11bobo$15b3o4bo53b2o23b2o25b
o2bo21bo2bo13b2obobob2o34b2obo159b2o5b2o$19bobo107b2o23b2o14b2obobob2o
32bob2o2b2o156b3o5b3o$75bo27bo25bo25bo17bobo34bo2bo5bo154bo11bo$16b4o
56bo25bo69b2ob2o35b2ob2o$15b4o56b2o25b2o25bo25bo15bobobobo34bo5b2o26bo
5bo43bo$14b2ob2o56bo4bo17bo4bo24b2o25b2o14bo5bo33b3o31bobo3bobo41bobo
79b3ob3o$79bobo15bobo28b2o3bo17bo3b2o57bobo27bo2bo3bo2bo39bo2b2o75bob
2obobob2obo$78bo21bo31b2o17b2o19bo3bo38bo29b2o5b2o40bo2bo76b2obobobobo
b2o$79b2o17b2o31bo21bo18bo3bo118bobo76bo2bobobobo2bo$78bo21bo30b2o19b
2o16bobo3bobo34b3o31bo3bo43b2o78bobobobobobo$13b7o59b3o15b3o31bo2bo15b
o2bo14bob9obo32b2ob2o27b4ob4o41bo3b3o72b2obobobobob2o$12bob4ob2o111b2o
17b2o15bo3b2ob2o3bo31bo3b2o78b2obo73b3obobobobob3o$12b4o3b2o23b3o7b3o
22b2obo13bob2o71b2obob2o35b3o29bobo3bobo39b2ob4o72b2o3bobobobo3b2o$16b
3o25b3o7b3o22bobobo11bobobo32b4o13b4o16bobob3obobo33b2o33bobo43b3obo
77b2obobob2o$14b3obo28bo5bo27bo2b2o7b2o2bo34bobob2o9b2obobo16b2o2b3o2b
2o33b3o29b2o5b2o42bo78bo2b2ob2o2bo$18b2o60bobo13bobo35bob2o9b2obo60bo
2bo31bo5bo43bo2bo72b2o2b2o5b2o2b2o$13b2o2b2ob2o21b2o11b2o24bo13bo38b2o
11b2o16b2ob2o7b2ob2o31bo32bo3bo47bo72bo3bo7bo3bo$12bo2bo2bob2o23bo9bo
24b2o15b2o34bobo13bobo14b2o3bo5bo3b2o28b3o33bo3bo41b3o78bo11bo$13bob3o
2bo22b3o9b3o26b2o7b2o39bo15bo21bo3bo70bo3bo40bo4bo75b2o11b2o$19bo28b2o
b2o31b2obo3bob2o42b3o5b3o100b3o42b2o78b3o9b3o$16bo32bobo33bo7bo76bo2bo
bo2bo65bo3b3o3bo41b3o75bo2b2o3b2o2bo$15b2obo27b2obobob2o31b3ob3o44b2o
2bobo2b2o22bo3bo3bo34b3o27b3o7b3o40b3o77b3o3b3o$12b2o3bo27bo9bo26b2o
11b2o42b2o3b2o25bo2bo2bo35b3o26bo13bo39bo78bo9bo$12b2o68b2o11b2o38b2o
3bo3bo27b5o36b3o27b3o7b3o36b3o55bo24bobo5bobo$45bobo5bobo79b2o37bo69b
2o7b2o38bo55bobo23bo9bo$4bo9bo69bo9bo29bo11bo27bo9bo29bo9bo29bo9bo29bo
10bo28bo9bo13bo2bo12bo11bo7bo11bo$6bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo
33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo16b3o14bo5bo15bo5bo$bo5bo3bo5bo23bo5bo3bo
5bo23bo5bo3bo5bo23bo5bo3bo5bo23bo5bo3bo5bo23bo5bo3bo5bo23bo5bo3bo5bo
23bo5bo3bo5bo23bo5bo3bo5bo11b2o10bo5bo3bo5bo5bo5bo3bo5bo$8bobo37bobo
37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo19bobo$2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob
2o21b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o21b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o21b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o21b2ob3o
b2ob2ob3ob2o21b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o21b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o21b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob
2o21b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o11b2o8b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o3b2ob3ob2ob2ob3ob2o$349b
o$4bo9bo29bo9bo29bo9bo29bo9bo29bo9bo29bo9bo29bo9bo29bo9bo29bo9bo11b2o
2b2o12bo9bo11bo9bo$3bobo7bobo27bobo7bobo27bobo7bobo27bobo7bobo27bobo7b
obo27bobo7bobo27bobo7bobo27bobo7bobo27bobo7bobo10b2o15bobo7bobo9bobo7b
obo$2bo4b2ob2o4bo25bo4b2ob2o4bo25bo4b2ob2o4bo25bo4b2ob2o4bo25bo4b2ob2o
4bo25bo4b2ob2o4bo25bo4b2ob2o4bo25bo4b2ob2o4bo25bo4b2ob2o4bo9bobo13bo4b
2ob2o4bo7bo4b2ob2o4bo$2o3b4ob4o3b2o21b2o3b4ob4o3b2o21b2o3b4ob4o3b2o21b
2o3b4ob4o3b2o21b2o3b4ob4o3b2o21b2o3b4ob4o3b2o21b2o3b4ob4o3b2o21b2o3b4o
b4o3b2o21b2o3b4ob4o3b2o8b3o10b2o3b4ob4o3b2o3b2o3b4ob4o3b2o$o3bo9bo3bo
21bo3bo9bo3bo21bo3bo9bo3bo21bo3bo9bo3bo21bo3bo9bo3bo21bo3bo9bo3bo21bo
3bo9bo3bo21bo3bo9bo3bo21bo3bo9bo3bo9bo11bo3bo9bo3bo3bo3bo9bo3bo$2bo13b
o25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo9b2o
14bo13bo7bo13bo$2bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13b
o25bo13bo25bo13bo25bo13bo7bo13bo$343b3obo$3b5o3b5o27b5o3b5o27b5o3b5o
27b5o3b5o27b5o3b5o27b5o3b5o27b5o3b5o27b5o3b5o27b5o3b5o6bo4bo15b5o3b5o
9b5o3b5o$7bo3bo35bo3bo35bo3bo35bo3bo35bo3bo35bo3bo35bo3bo35bo3bo35bo3b
o13b2o20bo3bo17bo3bo$8bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo37bobo
37bobo11bo25bobo19bobo$343b2o$341bo3bo$5b9o31b9o31b9o31b9o31b9o31b9o
31b9o31b9o31b9o7bo23b9o13b9o$340bo$4bobo5bobo29bobo5bobo29bobo5bobo29b
obo5bobo29bobo5bobo29bobo5bobo29bobo5bobo29bobo5bobo29bobo5bobo4b3o22b
obo5bobo11bobo5bobo$3b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o
9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o2b4o21b2o9b2o9b2o9b2o$3b3o7b3o27b3o7b3o
27b3o7b3o27b3o7b3o27b3o7b3o27b3o7b3o27b3o7b3o27b3o7b3o27b3o7b3o3b2o22b
3o7b3o9b3o7b3o$3b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o
27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o9b2o9b2o$2bo2bobo3bobo2bo25bo2bobo
3bobo2bo25bo2bobo3bobo2bo25bo2bobo3bobo2bo25bo2bobo3bobo2bo25bo2bobo3b
obo2bo25bo2bobo3bobo2bo25bo2bobo3bobo2bo25bo2bobo3bobo2bo25bo2bobo3bob
o2bo7bo2bobo3bobo2bo$b2o5bobo5b2o23b2o5bobo5b2o23b2o5bobo5b2o23b2o5bob
o5b2o23b2o5bobo5b2o23b2o5bobo5b2o23b2o5bobo5b2o23b2o5bobo5b2o23b2o5bob
o5b2o23b2o5bobo5b2o5b2o5bobo5b2o$2bobo2bo3bo2bobo25bobo2bo3bo2bobo25bo
bo2bo3bo2bobo25bobo2bo3bo2bobo25bobo2bo3bo2bobo25bobo2bo3bo2bobo25bobo
2bo3bo2bobo25bobo2bo3bo2bobo25bobo2bo3bo2bobo25bobo2bo3bo2bobo7bobo2bo
3bo2bobo$5b2o5b2o31b2o5b2o31b2o5b2o31b2o5b2o31b2o5b2o31b2o5b2o31b2o5b
2o31b2o5b2o31b2o5b2o31b2o5b2o13b2o5b2o2$2bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo
25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b
2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo7bo2b2o5b2o2bo$2bo2b
2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo
25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b2o2bo25bo2b2o5b
2o2bo7bo2b2o5b2o2bo$6bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo
33bo5bo33bo5bo33bo5bo15bo5bo$3b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o
9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o27b2o9b2o9b2o9b2o$3bo11bo27bo
11bo27bo11bo27bo11bo27bo11bo27bo11bo27bo11bo27bo11bo27bo11bo27bo11bo9b
o11bo!

Synthesis-Based Knightship "Wickstretchers"
Keith Amling and conwaylife.com user vilc have constructed two patterns traveling at speed (2,1)c/6 which incrementally build wicks using glider synthesis. They are both too large to show here, but they can be downloaded from the following locations and run in Golly:

• (2,1)c/6 stretcher for a wick of barely interacting queen bee shuttles by Keith Amling
• (2,1)c/6 stretcher for a stable wick by Keith Amling and vilc

Coming Soon: New c/4 Diagonal Technology
There's been an explosion of new c/4 diagonal technology in recent months, due mainly to the work of Keith Amling, David Bell, and Matthias Merzenich. This includes new puffer engines, rakes, object eaters, glider circuitry, and large constructions. I hope to write up a comprehensive overview soon.