Life Objects 26 Bits and Larger

26-bit still-lifes | 27-bit still-lifes | 28-bit still-lifes | 29-bit still-lifes | 30+-bit still-lifes | Pseudo-still-lifes | P2 oscillators | P2 scrubbers | P2 pseudo-oscillator | P3 oscillators | P4 oscillators | P5 oscillators | P6 oscillators | P8 oscillators | P10 oscillator | P12 oscillators | P14 oscillator | P15 oscillators | Pentadecathlon pairs | P15 pseudo-oscillators | P24 oscillator | P30 oscillators | P36 oscillator | P60 oscillators | Other oscillators | Spaceships | Constellations



23 26-bit still-lifes

26-bit still

26-bit still- life #1 [8] Long hands [10] Buckles [16] Cover and block on pre-blocks on Z [10] House on LOM on house [17] Four ships and domino [8] Beetle on house [8] 26-bit still- life #2 [7] Mickey [11]
House on ram w/ bun [8] House on house w/ claw and mango [8] Two pseudo- paper- clips [8] Eater bridge tet on bookend [9] Two blocks on long bookend siamese long bookend on block [10] Trans blocks on grate [28] Block and very long snake on pre- blocks on Z [10] 26-bit canoe [14]
B1 catalyst w/ mango [23] 26-bit still- life #3 [36] Up snakes on tied bookends [12] Up and down snakes on tied bookends [12] Down snakes on tied bookends [12] Block and beehive on tied down long bookends [13]  

Bellman One (B1) is a specific eater found using Mike Playle's Bellman search program. (Actually, the name refers to the mechanism, rather than the form; the forms shown are the smallest currently known). It consists of a still-life and an eater, and is specifically designed to eat traffic-lights. A slight variant of it eats gliders instead.


7 27-bit still-lifes

27-bit still-lifes

Bun on buckle on house [12] 27-bit still- life #3 [56] House on tables siamese loaves [13] 27-bit still- life #1 [13] Vase siamese hat [15] 27-bit still- life #2 [44] 27-bit still- life #4 [6]


20 28 bit still-lifes

28-bit still-lifes

28-bit still- life #1 [12] Two paper- clips on Z [10] Blocks on large honey- farms [9] Z quad- loaf [8] Blocks on extra extra extra long tables [9]
Extra long houses w/ tails [10] 28-bit still- life #2 [12] Claw on tied tables siamese tables [10] 28-bit still-life #4 [9] House on fly [8]
28-bit still- life #3 [11] Quad- loaf, O quad- loaf [6] Four blocks on square [16] Two down buns on large loaf siamese long barge [11] L quad- loaf [13]
Very long crab [12] Beehive on down long bookend tie up bookend on bun [13] Beehives on tied down long bookends [12] Block on dock tie dock on block [14] Half bakery w/ integrals w/ tubs [16]


3 29-bit still-lifes

29-bit still-lifes

Cover on pre-block on Z on paperclip [10] 29-bit still- life #1 [6] Long snake and pre-block on Z on paperclip [10]


41 still-lifes 30 bits and larger

larger still

Joined down sidewalks [7] Covers on pre-blocks on Z [10] 30-bit still- life #1 [9] Clips; Induct- ing docks w/ curls [8] Joined up and down side- walks [6] Joined up side- walks [6] Cover and very long snake on pre-blocks on Z [10]
Three blocks and beehive on square [16] Eater-3 catalyst [70] Block on up large omega w/ curly tail [7] Block on down large omega w/ curly tail [7] 31-bit still- life #1 [7] Snark still- life [42] 32-bit still- life #2 [8]
Sombreros [7] 32-bit still- life #1 [10] Ohi; Block and pond on extra extra extra long tables [8] Four butterflies; Light cross [7] Vase siamese bookends [11] Variant eater-3 catalyst [39] Houses on siamese honey- farms [8]
33-bit still- life #1 [38] Crowns [7] Skewed crowns [8] Ohio; Ponds on extra extra extra long tables [7] Four corner; Heavy cross [36] Four tables siamese loaves [30] Three tied boats w/ tail tie ship [9]
P penta- loaf [14] 39-bit still-life #1 [10] 40-bit still-life #1 [5] 40-bit still-life #2 [14] Four tied boats w/ tail [11] 40-bit still-life #3 [10] Houses on tied houses w/ boats [9]
Hexa-loaf #2 [24] Hexa-loaf #1 [24] Hexa-loaf #3 [24] Large tables siamese loaves [17] 44-bit still-life #1 [17] 60-bit still-life #1 [20]  


29 Pseudo-still-lifes 26 bits and larger

larger pseudo-still-lifes

Two blocks on house on house [6] Two blocks on up house on house [6] Down long cis integral mouth on long cis integral [24] Two long cis integrals on each other [30] Up loaf on snow cap above eater [5] Long cis integrals below and behind long cis integral [28] Four pairs of block on block [7] Two hooks w/ tail and two snakes on block* [x]
Up paper- clip bottom below paper- clip [6] Pairs of down buns on buns [10] Down paper- clip bottom below paper- clip [6] Two pairs of bookends [10] Four loaves [14] Two pairs of eaters [8] Four boats on pond [6]  
Four docks [15] Two bookends on two strange 13-bit inductors [10] Two vases [10] Four tables on 5 blocks [x+34] Two cis half vases on two strange 13-bit inductors [8] Two trans half vases on two strange 13-bit inductors [8] Vase on two strange 13-bit inductors [8]  
Two ships on two houses [8] Hook w/ tail bit snake on snake and hat and block* [x] Two blocks on loop siamese tables [13] Half vase on three strange 13-bit inductors [7] Four strange 13-bit inductors [6] Four ships on four long bookends [14] Eight pairs of block on block [34]

* NOTE: The items marked * can be divided into more than two sets of separate objects, but not just two.


34 period 2 oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 2 oscillators

Double piston; Long piston [10] House on light bulb [11] Two boats on two ponds [16] Diagonal light bulb on two eater tails [58] Two tied paper- clips [9] House w/ tub on light bulb [14] Block and down very long boat on armpit [12] Double spark coil [6]
Test tube baby between houses [9] Test tube twins w/ 2 curls [16] Test tube baby between cis skewed houses [8] Test tube baby between house and skewed house [8] Spark coil tied to two boats (up) [6] Test tube baby between trans skewed houses [8] Spark coil tied to two boats (down) [6]  
Beacon and boat on two ponds [13] Test tube twins between down bookend [16] Test tube twins between up bookend [16] Half pseudo- jack [25] Spark coil w/ 4 barges [8] Semifore; Two beacons on two ponds [14] Triple piston [48]
Quadruple piston [18] Test tube twins between trans houses [11] Test tube twins between cis houses [12] 36-bit P2 #1 [14] Double kiss [14] Sextuple piston [30]
Quintuple piston [60] Test tube twins between house and two bookends [17] Test tube triplets between house and two bookends [20] Test tube triplets between pairs of two bookends [26] Test tube quadruplets between pairs of two bookends [29] Four armpits [23] 60-bit P2 #1 [20]

Pistons are infinitely extensible. Pistons of any even length can be made by starting with the double piston synthesis, and adding as many additional copies of down-beacon-on-table as necessary for the desired length. (The first one is easiest, e.g. the quadruple piston; all others can use the method to extend this to the sextuple piston). Pistons of any odd length can be made by shortening an even-length piston by one unit, e.g. the triple and quintuple pistons.

NOTE: Because there are so many scrubbers, they are omitted from this list, and shown in the next section.


18 period 2 Scrubbers

The Scrubber is a billiard table oscillator consisting of a traffic light predecessor surrounded by induction coils. There are many different ways to stabilize the exterior sides. Here are several synthesizable variations.

larger period 2 scrubbers

1x1 Scrubber #1 [10] 1x1 Scrubber #3 [16] 1x1 Scrubber #2 [13] 1x1 Scrubber #4 [13] 1x1 Scrubber #5 [23] 1x1 Scrubber #6 [10] Scrubber piston [12]
2x1 Scrubbers #1 [23] 2x1 Scrubbers #2 [24] 2x1 Scrubbers #3 [17] 2x1 Scrubbers #4 [18] 2x1 Scrubbers #5 [18] 2x1 Glasses [17]
2x2 Scrubbers #1 [23] 2x2 Scrubbers #2 [24] 2x2 Scrubbers #3 [28] 3x2 Scrubbers [37] 4x2 Scrubbers [55]

Glasses are pairs of scrubbers with out-of-phase spark coils between them.


2 period 2 pseudo-oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 2 pseudo-oscillators

Two blocks on spark coil [6] Two beacons on two eaters [10]


15 period 3 oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 3 oscillators

Ls on table tie table on pond [17] Ls on table tie long bookend on loaf [22] Cross [16] Mini pressure cooker [27] Quasar; Super pulsar [32]
Ls on long bookend tie long bookend on loaf [25] Hustler [55-83] Two eater- bound ponds [19] Pressure cooker; Snake on pressure cooker [120]
Snake dance [6] Two bookends on pressure cooker [52] Diamond ring [28] Pulsar; Pulsar CP 48-54-72 [3] 48-bit period 3 oscillator #1 [21] Three eater- bound ponds [28]

The Pulsar consists of four inducting Traffic light predecessors. Its predecessors are used in many other oscillators (as described under Traffic light). Pulsars are also infinitely extensible, by arranging multiple quadrants in a closed loop. The Pulsar, consisting of four quadrants, is the smallest such arrangement. The Quasar, consisting of twelve quadrants, is the next largest.


22 period 4 oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 4 oscillators

1-2-3-4 w/ tub [29] 1-2-3-4 w/ tub and tail [27-29] 30-bit P4 #1 [44] Light- weight emulator [111] Middle- weight emulator [20] Heavy- weight emulator [28] Two buns w/ tail hassled by eaters [22]
Half jack [46] Skewed half jack [50] Cloverleaf; Dual 1-2-3-4; Flammen- kamp's P4 [7] 40-bit period 4 oscillator #1 [20] Snake pit w/ beehives [32] Snake pit w/ claws [24] 4 Blocks on Octagon IV [34]
Gray counter [30-32] Jack [34] Skewed Jack [54] Hustler II [155] Dual Gray counter [24] Pinwheel [24] Snake pit w/ curls [22]

The three spaceship emulators produce edge-sparks like the correspondingly-named spaceships. Because it is so large, the larger, original synthesis of the light-weight emulator is included in a separate file.

There are five basic versions of Jack: two shown here, offset by 0 generations and 0 or 2 spaces vertically, two offset by 2 generations and 0 or 2 spaces vertically, and one offset by 1 generation and one space vertically. Only the first two currently have syntheses.


6 period 5 oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 5 oscillators

Two pentoads between two eaters [17] Hooks on two snakes [22] Heart [15] Two pentoads between two eaters and a pond [19] 40-bit P5 oscillator [27] Harbor [34]


21 period 6 oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 6 oscillators

A for All [14] Jason Summers's P6 [40] Sesqui- unix [12] Merzenich's unix on eater [13] Extremely impressive [30-35] 33-bit eater- hassled P6 [50-72]
Two cis unices [11] $rats [101-124] 32-bit P6 #1 [72] Two trans unices [11] Two touching trans- unices [14] Two touching cis- unices [14]
Lonely bee hassled by four toads [19] Ship hassled by two unices [17] Three cis cis unices [23] Three cis trans unices [16] Three trans trans unices [17] Beluchenko's two unices and block on corner table [24]
Merzenich's unix on dual eater-2 [49] Merzenich's 4 clocks hassling 2 siamese unices [42] Unicycle; Four cis unices [28]  

Extremely impressive is an unusual oscillator. It appears at first glance to be a billiard table, but isn't really, as one of the sides temporarily falls apart, but then re-forms later.


20 period 8 oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 8 oscillators

Figure-8 and up mazing sharing sparks [9] Figure-8 and down mazing sharing sparks [12] Two trans blockers [16] Two cis blockers [16] Cauldron, Crucible [26-63]
28-bit P8 #1 [25] Kok's Galaxy [12] Toad sucked by two figure-8s #2 [17] Toad flipped by two figure-8s #2 [14] Toad flipped by two figure-8s #3 [17]
Toad sucked by two figure-8s #4 [14] Toad sucked by two figure-8s #3 [17] Toad sucked by two figure-8s #1 [12] Toad flipped by two figure-8s #1 [11] Tumbling T-tetson; Traffic light hassled by two figure-8s [10]
36-bit P8 oscillator [27] Hertz oscillator [11-14] Honeyfarm hassled by four eaters [14] Blocker rephasing P7 [69] Dual Hertz oscillator [20-24]

Kok's Galaxy is produces a period 8 diagonal bit spark.

(See notes under Toad for details about toad-flipper and toad-sucker oscillators.)


2 period 10 oscillators 26 bits and larger

P10 oscillators

44-bit P10 #1 [65] Merzenich's 4 clocks hassling 2 alternating unices [41] Eight blocks hassling two pulsars [30]


4 period 12 oscillators 26 bits and larger

period 12 oscillators

Baker's dozen; Loaf hassled by two blocks and two caterers [30] 44-bit P12 #1 [142] 45-bit P12 #1 [79] Crown hassled by HWSS emulator and two molds [52]

Note that caterers and/or molds could be used as hasslers in both the first and last oscillators, and either oscillator could also be flipped vertically, yielding 10 distinct versions of the Baker's dozen, and 16 of the Crown.


1 period 14 oscillator 26 bits and larger

larger P14

Up beacon beside burloaf- erimiter [33]

This has a pseudo-period of 14, a composite of 2 and 7.


7 period 15 oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 15 oscillators

Karel Suhajda's P15 [28] Two penta- decathlons hassling two blocks [13] Al Jolson [13] Two penta- decathlons hassling long barge [12]
Two penta- decathlons hassling butterfly [10] Pentadecathlon rephasing P7 [62] Four penta- decathlons hassling four blocks [29]

Karel Suhajda's P15 generates a useful finger spark.

NOTE: Because there are so many pentadecathlon pairs, they are omitted from this list, and shown in the next section.


The 24 Period-15 Pentadecathlon Pairs

period 15 pentadecathlon pairs

Two penta- decathlons #1 [8] Two penta- decathlons #2 [8] Two penta- decathlons #3 [7]* Two penta- decathlons #4 [8] Two penta- decathlons #5 [8] Two penta- decathlons #6 [8] Two penta- decathlons #7 [8]
Two penta- decathlons #8 [8] Two penta- decathlons #9 [8]* Two penta- decathlons #10 [8] Two penta- decathlons #11 [8]* Two penta- decathlons #12 [8] Two penta- decathlons #13 [8] Two penta- decathlons #14 [7]
Two penta- decathlons #20 [6] Two penta- decathlons #21 [6] Two penta- decathlons #22 [6] Two penta- decathlons #23 [6] Two penta- decathlons #24 [6] Two penta- decathlons #25 [6] Two penta- decathlons #16 [6]
Two penta- decathlons #17 [6]
Two penta- decathlons #26 [6] Two penta- decathlons #27 [6] Two penta- decathlons #28 [6] Two penta- decathlons #29 [6] Two penta- decathlons #30 [6] Two penta- decathlons #15 [14] Two penta- decathlons #18 [6]
Two penta- decathlons #19 [6]

* NOTE: The three marked * are pseudo-oscillators.


2 period 15 pseudo-oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger PP15

Penta- decathlon on penta- decathlon #11 [8] Penta- decathlon on penta- decathlon #9 [8]


1 period 24 oscillator 26 bits and larger

larger P24

Karel Suhajda's Four blocks hassling two honeyfarms and a beacon [15]


7 period 30 oscillators 26 bits and larger

larger period 30 oscillators

Eureka; Four tubs hassling a pulsar [12] Skewed eureka; Four tubs hassling a skewed pulsar [12] Hectic; Four queen bees shuttling 2 gliders [26]
Capped bad gun [10] Two penta- decathlons hassling two blocks [8]
Double eureka [22] Double skewed eureka [33]

The "bad gun" is a an arrangement of two queen bee shuttles that forms a glider gun that doesn't quite work, because the escaping glider hits the right shuttle at the last moment; if it were advanced only 2 more generations, it would have escaped. This is rescued and turned into a period 30 oscillator by eating the glider before the right shuttle returns.


1 period 36 oscillator 26 bits and larger

large P36

Jason Summers's Two eaters and two caterers hassling two B heptominos [34]


7 period 60 oscillators 26 bits and larger

period 60 oscillators

Two pentadecathlons shuttling glider [7] Toad flipped by 2 penta- decathlons #1 [10] Toad sucked by 2 penta- decathlons #1 [10] Toad sucked by 2 penta- decathlons #2 [10] Toad flipped by 2 penta- decathlons #2 [10] Toad sucked by 2 penta- decathlons #3 [10]
Twirling T-tetsons; 8 toads spinning a pulsar [40]  

(See notes under Toad for details about toad-flipper and toad-sucker oscillators.)


Oscillators 26 bits and larger

Due to the large number of oscillators, these are shown on the Oscillators by period page, since most oscillator periods only have oscillators in this category.


Spaceships 26 bits and larger

Due to the large number of spaceships, these are shown on the Exotic spaceship and Flotilla pages, since most larger spaceships are in these categories.


18 easily-constructible constellations 26 bits and larger

larger constellations

Bakery [3] B1 eater [22] Pi reflector [46] Eater-3 [72] Variant eater-3 [42] 4 Beehives, 2 boats, 2 blinkers (via Thunderbird) [4]
Laundro- mat; 8 tubs [6] Bi-bakery [4] Century eater constellation [9] Snark reflector [48]
Killer candel- frobras [12-16] Two pulsars offset (16, 0) [4] (Two glider) Octomino: 2 Traffic lights, 4 beehives [2]
Two pulsars offset (17, 0) [4] Two pulsars offset (16, 2) [4]
P8 glider reflector [11] P15 glider reflector [20] Two bowties and two half traffic lights [4]

Eater-3 is an eater that can eat gliders, but unlike Eater-1, it can also eat many other things that grow at a corner. It consists of a catalyst still-life and a loaf. The loaf eats the target and flips over, then takes a bite out of the catalyst still-life (that reforms), and flips back. With appropriate pairs of sparks, it can also reflect pairs of gliders, allowing the construction of glider-loop oscillators of periods 18+8n.

The variant eater-3 is very similar, and much cheaper to construct. Unfortunately, it cannot be used to reflect glider pairs.

Bellman One (B1) is a specific eater found using Mike Playle's Bellman search program. (Actually, the name refers to the mechanism, rather than the form; the forms shown are the smallest currently known). It consists of a still-life and an eater, and is specifically designed to eat traffic-lights. A slight variant of it eats gliders instead.

The Century eater is specifically designed to eat a century.

Pairs of candelfrobras, known as "killer candelfrobras", can also eat expanding objects like middle-weight and heavy-weight spaceships, and forming 3/4 traffic light. These are most useful for eating spaceship streams whose period is a multiple of 3. For those whose period is a multiple of 2, Killer toads are more appropriate.

The Snark is a remarkable eater discovered by Mike Playle in April of 2013 using his Bellman search program. (Actually, the name refers to the mechanism, rather than the form; the forms shown are the smallest currently known). It has many remarkable eating properties. When combined with two eaters and a block, it forms a stable glider reflector that can reflect gliders 90 degrees as long as they are at least 43 generations apart. This allows for creation of glider-loop oscillators of every period 43 and higher, and is the first period 43 oscillator ever found. This is also the smallest (and fastest) stable glider reflector currently known.



Other sizes: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and larger, not quite stable objects.

See also: Life objects sorted by: counts, frequency of occurrence, cost in gliders, name, size in bits, or type.

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This page was last updated on 2015-02-19.