And the optimization of the simulation parameters towards desired objectives, e.g creatures sensing and climbing gradients :

This work also recapitulates previous results with the Flow-Lenia system Like the discovery of complex emergent creatures form random search only:

1. A dissipative environment with constant in- and out-flows of matter(=energy)
2. An environment where creatures need to consume, and compete for, external resources in order to counter their inevitable dissipation.

We use these metrics to evaluate the evolutionary dynamics e$merging from Flow-Lenia local rules in different conditions and also visualise emerging evolutionary trees:

FL allows to embed the CA parameters within its dynamics, making them localised, just like genomes ! This makes FL a unique system to simulate multi-species environments where rules can compete for mass, spread and undergo mutations: all the ingredients for evolution to emerge !

Synthetic ecosystems that autonomously and continuously evolve in silico 👾
An Alifer dream we pursue with Flow-Lenia, a mass-conservative continuous CA !
If you are interested in complex systems with (1) emergent creatures and (2) intrinsic evolutionary dynamics, go check our new paper !
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