Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Artificial Life
     
         (a-life) The study of synthetic
        systems which behave like natural living systems in some way.
        Artificial Life complements the traditional biological
        sciences concerned with the analysis of living organisms by
        attempting to create lifelike behaviours within computers and
        other artificial media.  Artificial Life can contribute to
        theoretical biology by modelling forms of life other than
        those which exist in nature.  It has applications in
        environmental and financial modelling and network
        communications.
     
        There are some interesting implementations of artificial life
        using strangely shaped blocks.  A video, probably by the
        company Artificial Creatures who build insect-like robots in
        Cambridge, MA (USA), has several mechanical implementations of
        artificial life forms.
     
        See also {evolutionary computing}, {Life}.
     
        [Christopher G. Langton (Ed.), "Artificial Life", Proceedings
        Volume VI, Santa Fe Institute Studies in the Sciences of
        Complexity.  Addison-Wesley, 1989].
     
        {Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/Science/Artificial_Life/)}.
     
        {Santa Fe Institute (http://alife.santafe.edu/)}.
     
        {The Avida Group
        (http://www.krl.caltech.edu/avida/Avida.html)}.
     
        (1995-02-21)