8 Июл 2023

Primordial Particle System Download: How to Explore the Emergence of Life from Simple Rules

Have you ever wondered how life emerged from simple physical laws and particles? How complex structures, behaviors, and interactions evolved from basic motion and interaction rules? If you are interested in these questions, you might want to check out the Primordial Particle System, a simple model that simulates the emergence of life-like structures from self-propelled particles. In this article, we will explain what the Primordial Particle System is, what features and properties it exhibits, what implications it has for science and philosophy, and how you can download and run different versions of it on your computer.

What is the Primordial Particle System?

A simple model that simulates the emergence of life-like structures from self-propelled particles

The Primordial Particle System (PPS) is a simple model that was developed by Thomas Schmickl and Martin Stefanec from the Artificial Life Lab of the University of Graz, Austria. It consists of a certain number of particles that are initially positioned at random spots, with random orientations. Each particle has a simple motion law that determines how it moves and interacts with other particles. The motion law consists of four rules:

  • If a particle is not in contact with any other particle, it moves forward with a constant speed.
  • If a particle is in contact with another particle, it rotates around it with a constant angular velocity.
  • If a particle is in contact with two or more particles, it rotates around their center of mass with a constant angular velocity.
  • If a particle is in contact with three or more particles, it also changes its color to match the color of the majority of its neighbors.

These simple rules lead to complex patterns and structures that resemble cells, tissues, organs, organisms, populations, and ecosystems. The particles form clusters that grow, divide, move, interact, compete, cooperate, communicate, process information, and eventually die. The PPS demonstrates that very simple rules can generate complex structures that exhibit many properties also found in life forms.

The main features and properties of the Primordial Particle System

The PPS has several features and properties that make it interesting and relevant for artificial life research. Some of these are:

  • The PPS is deterministic, meaning that given the same initial conditions and parameters, it will always produce the same outcome.
  • The PPS is scalable, meaning that it can be extended to any number of dimensions and particles without changing the motion law.
  • The PPS is robust, meaning that it can tolerate noise and perturbations without losing its functionality.
  • The PPS is emergent, meaning that it produces patterns and behaviors that are not explicitly encoded in the motion law.
  • The PPS is self-organizing, meaning that it produces order from disorder without external intervention or guidance.
  • The PPS is self-replicating, meaning that it produces copies of itself without external input or output.
  • The PPS is self-sustaining, meaning that it maintains its structure and function without external energy or material sources.

The scientific and philosophical implications of the Primordial Particle System

The PPS has several

The PPS has several scientific and philosophical implications that challenge our understanding of life and its origins. Some of these are:

  • The PPS shows that life-like structures and behaviors can emerge from simple physical rules without any biological or chemical components.
  • The PPS suggests that life may be a universal phenomenon that can arise in any system that satisfies certain conditions of complexity and diversity.
  • The PPS provides a possible model for the origin of life on Earth and other planets, as well as a tool for exploring the evolution of life in different environments.
  • The PPS raises questions about the definition and criteria of life, and whether the PPS particles can be considered alive or not.
  • The PPS invites us to reflect on the nature and meaning of life, and whether there is a fundamental difference between living and non-living systems.

How to download and run the Primordial Particle System?

The original implementation by Thomas Schmickl and Martin Stefanec

The pseudocode and the 3D model

If you want to download and run the original implementation of the PPS by Schmickl and Stefanec, you can find the pseudocode and the 3D model on their website. The pseudocode is written in a simple language that can be easily translated into any programming language. The 3D model is a Blender file that can be used to visualize the PPS in three dimensions. You can also modify the parameters of the PPS, such as the number of particles, the speed, the angular velocity, and the color change threshold, to see how they affect the outcome.

The arXiv paper and the YouTube video

If you want to learn more about the PPS and its features, you can read the paper by Schmickl and Stefanec that was published on arXiv. The paper explains the motivation, the design, the results, and the implications of the PPS in detail. You can also watch the YouTube video by Schmickl that demonstrates the PPS in action. The video shows different scenarios and experiments with the PPS, such as growth, division, movement, interaction, competition, cooperation, communication, information processing, and death.

The alternative implementations by other developers

The HTML canvas/JavaScript version by nagualdesign

If you want to try a web-based version of the PPS that runs on your browser, you can check out the HTML canvas/JavaScript version by nagualdesign. This version allows you to adjust the parameters of the PPS using sliders, buttons, and checkboxes. You can also pause, resume, reset, and save the simulation. The simulation runs on a 2D canvas that shows the particles as circles with different colors.

The MonoGame version by TheRainHarvester

If you want to try a desktop version of the PPS that runs on Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X, you can check out the MonoGame version by TheRainHarvester. This version requires you to install MonoGame, a cross-platform game development framework. The simulation runs on a 2D window that shows the particles as dots with different colors. You can also zoom in and out using your mouse wheel.

The ObservableHQ version by Brian H.

If you want to try another web-based version of the PPS that runs on your browser, you can check out the ObservableHQ version by Brian H.. This version uses D3.js, a JavaScript library for data visualization. The simulation runs on a 2D SVG element that shows the particles as circles with different colors. You can also change the parameters of the PPS using sliders.

Conclusion

The Primordial Particle System is a fascinating and simple way to explore

The Primordial Particle System is a fascinating and simple way to explore the emergence of life from simple rules

In conclusion, the Primordial Particle System is a simple model that simulates the emergence of life-like structures from self-propelled particles. It shows that very simple rules can generate complex patterns and behaviors that exhibit many properties also found in life forms. It has several scientific and philosophical implications that challenge our understanding of life and its origins. It also provides a possible model for the origin of life on Earth and other planets, as well as a tool for exploring the evolution of life in different environments. You can download and run different versions of the Primordial Particle System and observe the patterns and behaviors that arise from the simple motion law.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Primordial Particle System:

  • Q: How does the Primordial Particle System differ from other artificial life models?
  • A: The Primordial Particle System differs from other artificial life models in several ways. First, it does not use any biological or chemical components, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, or cells. Second, it does not use any predefined fitness functions, goals, or selection mechanisms. Third, it does not use any complex algorithms, data structures, or computations. Fourth, it does not use any external input or output. Fifth, it does not use any random or stochastic elements.
  • Q: What are the limitations and challenges of the Primordial Particle System?
  • A: The Primordial Particle System has some limitations and challenges that need to be addressed. First, it is not clear how to measure and quantify the complexity and diversity of the PPS structures and behaviors. Second, it is not clear how to compare and classify the PPS structures and behaviors with respect to natural life forms. Third, it is not clear how to extend and generalize the PPS to other domains and scenarios. Fourth, it is not clear how to validate and verify the PPS results and implications.
  • Q: What are the applications and benefits of the Primordial Particle System?
  • A: The Primordial Particle System has some applications and benefits that can be exploited. First, it can be used as a teaching and learning tool for students and educators who are interested in artificial life, complex systems, emergence, self-organization, evolution, and origin of life. Second, it can be used as a research and development tool for scientists and engineers who are working on artificial life, complex systems, emergence, self-organization, evolution, and origin of life. Third, it can be used as a creative and artistic tool for artists and designers who are inspired by artificial life, complex systems, emergence, self-organization, evolution, and origin of life.

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