Thumb
Revision as of 23:46, 4 August 2023 by DroneBetter (talk | contribs) (Sorry, it seems I acted too quickly, the smallest p3 thumb was from David Buckingham in 1996 (also add Dongook Lee's higher-clearance p4 and the p7 thumb, and note grin oscillators))
A thumb is a weak spark that flicks out from an oscillator or other pattern in a manner that resembles a thumb being flicked.
Shown below is a period-4 thumb that was found by David Eppstein in June 2000. A larger one with higher clearance was found by Dongook Lee on November 13, 2019.[1]
| A period 4 thumb (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here |
On January 23, 2015, Dongook Lee found a reaction that converts drifters such as 2c/3 signals into thumb sparks,[2] On July 6, 2022, May13 used this with 74P34 to produce a period-34 thumb sparker.[3] Others are listed below.
- In 1996, David Buckingham used a period-3 thumb based on keys in a p81 180° glider loop. Gustone found a reaction for creating a period-3 thumb using caterer sparks on December 29, 2021, initially as a dimer based on the double caterer, but reduced it to a monomer.[4] Other small p3 thumbs are also known.[5]
- Dean Hickerson found a period-9 thumb sparker, thumb 1, in October 1998.
- David Eppstein found the p6 thumb on June 26, 2000.
- Charity Engine found the p11 thumb on August 11, 2022.
- p7 thumb (produces two thumb sparks with high clearance symmetrically)
See also
- Thumb 1 on queen bee shuttle
- Grin (oscillators exhibiting it may substitute for thumbs in certain situations)
References
- ↑ Scorbie (November 13, 2019). Re: Oscillator Discussion Thread (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
- ↑ Scorbie (January 23, 2015). Re: Thread For Your Accidental Discoveries (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
- ↑ May13 (July 06, 2022). Re: Oscillator Discussion Thread (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
- ↑ Gustone (December 29, 2021). Re: Oscillator Discussion Thread (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
- ↑ Scorbie (December 29, 2021). Re: Oscillator Discussion Thread (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
External links
- Thumb at the Life Lexicon