Speculative Evolution Through 3D Cellular Automata

TL;DR

This paper presents a 3D cellular automata model inspired by Conway's Game of Life to generate and visualize speculative extraterrestrial organic forms, combining procedural simulation, smoothing techniques, and 3D printing.

Contribution

It introduces a volumetric workflow for 3D cellular automata that produces novel non-terrestrial morphologies and demonstrates their physical realization through 3D printing.

Findings

Generated complex alien-like structures from simple rules

Created tangible fossil-like artifacts of speculative life forms

Showcased the potential of digital fabrication in biological modeling

Abstract

This project explores speculative evolution through a 3D implementation of Conway's Game of Life, using procedural simulation to generate unfamiliar extraterrestrial organic forms. By applying a volumetric optimized workflow, the raw cellular structures are smoothed into unified, bone-like geometries that resemble hypothetical non-terrestrial morphologies. The resulting forms, strange yet organic, are 3D printed as fossil-like artifacts, presenting a tangible representation of generative structures. This process situates the work at the intersection of artificial life, evolutionary modeling, and digital fabrication, illustrating how simple rules can simulate complex biological emergence and challenge conventional notions of organic form.