What is artificial life?

Artificial life, also known as ALife, is a scientific field where researchers study natural life and its evolution using computer models, robotics, and biochemistry. The discipline is traditionally divided into three main approaches: soft software, hard hardware, and wet biochemistry. Humans have explored the concept of creating non-biological life for thousands of years through myths, stories, and modern scientific simulations.

What we know

• Artificial life is a field of study where researchers examine natural life, its processes, and its evolution using computer simulations, robotics, and biochemistry. [1, 2]
• The discipline was named by American computer scientist Christopher Langton in 1986, who also organized the first conference on the field in 1987. [2]
• Artificial life has three main approaches known as soft from software, hard from hardware, and wet from biochemistry. [2]
• Humans have considered and tried to create non-biological life for at least 3,000 years, appearing in tales from Pygmalion to Frankenstein. [5]

Where to go next

• whoWho was Christopher Langton?
• a case in pointHow do life simulation games work?
• whereWhere was the first ALife conference held?
• the bigger pictureWhat is synthetic biology?
• compared withHow does artificial intelligence history compare to artificial life?
• an unexpected connectionHow do ancient myths connect to modern computer simulations?Both ancient tales like Frankenstein and modern computer models stem from a 3,000-year human endeavor to understand and create non-biological life.

Sources

• [1]artificial life (Wikidata Q263847) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Artificial life · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Life simulation game · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]History of artificial intelligence · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]History of artificial life · CC BY-SA 4.0