From: rehrauer@apollo.hp.com (Steve Rehrauer)
Subject: Seeking information: Thomas Ray's "Tierra" program
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 1991 14:05:20 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Apollo Division - Chelmsford, MA


This may not be the proper forum to ask, but the name of the group suggests
that it might...

The August 10th edition of SCIENCE NEWS magazine carried an article titled
"Electronic Ecology".  Thomas Ray, a U. of Delaware researcher, has written
a simulation named "Tierra", in which the "organisms" are "programs" with
the ability to self-replicate and evolve (Tierra has several mechanisms
whereby mutations occur).  Tierra has produced a variety of parasites
(which in turn encouraged the evolution of "immune" organisms), and forms
more efficient the original "ancestor" organism that was inserted into the
pristine Tierran "ecology".

I was fascinated, and would like to know more than the (necessarily, I guess,
in this format) short SN article provides.

Does anyone know of any other published descriptions of Tierra, or Ray's
work, or work similar to this?  I'm interested in reading more of the details
behind the simulation.  Please e-mail responses to me, as I normally don't
read this group.  Thanks!
-- 
"Did you check the car to see if it's okay for   | Steve Rehrauer
 a long trip, Sam?"  "Well, the wheels are still | rehrauer@apollo.hp.com
 on... and here's the key...  Yep, everything    | Hewlett-Packard
 checks out!"  -- Freelance Police               | MA Languages Lab