Lenia

What Lenia actually is

Replacing the crisp on-off cells of Conway's automaton with smooth continuous values changes the result entirely. Bert Chan's system grows a family of drifting, pulsing lifeforms with names like orbium and scutium that swim, rotate, collide and sometimes reproduce.

Why it is worth your time

None of these creatures were designed, they were found by searching parameter space, which makes watching one glide across the grid genuinely strange.

Common questions

Is Lenia free?

Yes. Lenia is free and does not ask you to register or hand over an email address before you can use it.

How long does Lenia take?

One quick round, then you can leave. We file it under "A minute" — game of Life made continuous, and it grows creatures.

Does Lenia work on a phone?

Lenia really wants a mouse and a wide window. It will load on a phone, but the experience is built for desktop.

What kind of site is Lenia?

We list it under Sandboxes & Simulators — small worlds that keep running without you. None of these creatures were designed, they were found by searching parameter space, which makes watching one glide across the grid genuinely strange.