Self-Replicating Automaton — Von Neumann Constructor

Simplified Langton's self-reproducing loop on a 2D cellular automaton — the first mathematical proof that self-replication is possible.

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Von Neumann (1948): proved that a universal constructor can build any machine, including a copy of itself. Langton's loop (1984) is a minimal self-replicating CA: 86 cells, 8 states, rule table with 219 entries.

This simulation uses a simplified 4-state rule that demonstrates the core loop morphology and signal propagation.

Click to toggle cells.