Difference between revisions of "Puffer"
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{{Glossary}} | {{Glossary}} | ||
A '''puffer''' (or '''puffer train''') is an object that moves like a [[spaceship]], except that it leaves debris behind. The first known puffers were found by [[Bill Gosper]] and travelled at c/2 orthogonally (see [[puffer 1]] for the very first one, found in [[:Category:Patterns found in 1971|1971]]). Not long afterwards, c/12 diagonal puffers were found (see [[switch engine]]). Discounting [[wickstretcher]]s (which are not puffers in the conventional sense), no new velocity was obtained after this until [[David Bell]] found the first [[c/3 orthogonal]] puffer in April [[:Category:Patterns found in 1996|1996]]. Since then [[c/5 orthogonal]] puffers have also been found, the first by [[Tim Coe]] in May [[:Category:Patterns found in 1997|1997]]. [[Jason Summers]] built the first [[c/4 orthogonal]] puffer in January [[:Category:Patterns found in 1999|1999]], and the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] puffer in February 1999. In February 2004, [[Hartmut Holzwart]] found a [[c/4 diagonal]] puffer, and in September 2010, [[Matthias Merzenich]] found a [[c/5 diagonal]] puffer. | A '''puffer''' (or '''puffer train''') is an object that moves like a [[spaceship]], except that it leaves debris behind. The first known puffers were found by [[Bill Gosper]] and travelled at c/2 orthogonally (see [[puffer 1]] for the very first one, found in [[:Category:Patterns found in 1971|1971]]). Not long afterwards, c/12 diagonal puffers were found (see [[switch engine]]). Discounting [[wickstretcher]]s (which are not puffers in the conventional sense), no new velocity was obtained after this until [[David Bell]] found the first [[c/3 orthogonal]] puffer in April [[:Category:Patterns found in 1996|1996]]. Since then [[c/5 orthogonal]] puffers have also been found, the first by [[Tim Coe]] in May [[:Category:Patterns found in 1997|1997]]. [[Jason Summers]] built the first [[c/4 orthogonal]] puffer in January [[:Category:Patterns found in 1999|1999]], and the first [[2c/5 orthogonal]] puffer in February 1999. In February 2004, [[Hartmut Holzwart]] found a [[c/4 diagonal]] puffer, and in September 2010, [[Matthias Merzenich]] found a [[c/5 diagonal]] puffer. In December 2013, [[Ivan Fomichev]] discovered a [[2c/7 orthogonal#Puffers|2c/7]] puffer, and in [[:Category:Patterns found in 2016|2016]], [[c/10 orthogonal]] puffers were found. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{LinkLexicon|lex_p.htm#puffer}} | |||
Revision as of 23:19, 10 April 2016
A puffer (or puffer train) is an object that moves like a spaceship, except that it leaves debris behind. The first known puffers were found by Bill Gosper and travelled at c/2 orthogonally (see puffer 1 for the very first one, found in 1971). Not long afterwards, c/12 diagonal puffers were found (see switch engine). Discounting wickstretchers (which are not puffers in the conventional sense), no new velocity was obtained after this until David Bell found the first c/3 orthogonal puffer in April 1996. Since then c/5 orthogonal puffers have also been found, the first by Tim Coe in May 1997. Jason Summers built the first c/4 orthogonal puffer in January 1999, and the first 2c/5 orthogonal puffer in February 1999. In February 2004, Hartmut Holzwart found a c/4 diagonal puffer, and in September 2010, Matthias Merzenich found a c/5 diagonal puffer. In December 2013, Ivan Fomichev discovered a 2c/7 puffer, and in 2016, c/10 orthogonal puffers were found.
See also
External links
- Puffer at the Life Lexicon