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Methuselah#1 (M#1)

I recently simulated M#1 in 3-4 Life using Golly . Below is a screen shot at generation 105,788 where the population has reached 455,328,344. The pattern has vertical and horizontal symmetry (achieved in the first generation).

To fit the whole pattern on the screen, I greatly reduced the scale. The central mass is not solid. Here's a close-up of the core:

The white "dots" appearing around the central mass of the pattern in the first screen shot are actually 100 gliders: 96 of glider 212, and 4 of glider 563. Try them out with Mirek's java applet, set to 34-Life. The first pair of gliders (type 212) appear at generation 1229 at the top and bottom of the pattern, although it is not obvious that they have escaped until several generations later.

glider 212 moves 1 space vertically with period 3, i.e., "1/3 lightspeed."

glider 563 moves 1 space diagonally with period 3, i.e., "1/3 lightspeed."

Here's a closeup of the top edge of the central mass (the nearest glider is off the screen).

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