Wolfram Rule 110

Rule 110 is one of the most significant discoveries in computer science and complex systems. It is a 1D elementary cellular automaton, introduced by Stephen Wolfram.

The Significance:
While Rule 30 produces pure chaos, Rule 110 exhibits "Class IV" behavior—the boundary between order and chaos. It generates localized structures ("gliders") that move and interact with each other in complex, purposeful ways over time.

In 2004, Matthew Cook proved that Rule 110 is Turing complete. This means this incredibly simple visual pattern—determined by just looking at a cell and its two immediate neighbors—can simulate any computer program or algorithm in the world, given enough time and space. It is profound evidence that universal computation can exist in the simplest natural systems.