Conway's game of life in two and three dimensions : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

My honors thesis deals with Conway's Game of Life. Conway's Game of Life is not so much a game as a study of states and how to move from one state to another by following a set of rules. Conway's version of life was originally a two-dimensional game but some studies have been done in a three-dimensional realm.Do characteristics found in a two-dimensional game also appear in a three-dimensional realm? I explore the occurrence of several characteristics, including gliders (a reoccurring state that translates), stable states, and cyclical states using various sets of rules. I also explore how this game can be applicable to real world situations.