Temporal Retention of Information as a Biosignature

TL;DR

This paper explores the concept of temporal retention as a biosignature by analyzing long-lasting evolutions in Conway's Game of Life, linking lifelike cellular automata traits to biological life indicators.

Contribution

It introduces the idea of temporal retention as an informational biosignature based on the longevity of automaton evolutions, expanding the biosignature framework.

Findings

Long-lasting evolutions in cellular automata can serve as biosignatures.

Temporal retention correlates with traits indicative of biological life.

The approach offers a new perspective on detecting life-like systems.

Abstract

Previous publications by the authors put forward the argument that Lifelike Cellular Automata can be treated as a bona fide example of livingness in and of themselves, not simply a toy analogue to biological life. Traits known to be indicative of biological life, biosignatures, were identified in informational form as particular outlier traits of the ruleset for the lifelike cellular automata known as Conways Game of Life. This publication reverses that logic, looking at a known outlier trait of Conways Game of Life, its very long-lasting evolutions, and using this to point towards temporal retention as an informational biosignature concept.