A cellular automaton is a hypothetical computer constructed of a regular array of cells that interact with neighboring cells according to a set of simple rules. Though conceptually simple, cellular automata can produce complex and surprising behavior. To computer scientists and mathematicians, cellular automata are of great interest from a theoretical perspective, forming one of the fundamental abstractions (along with Turing machines, finite-state automata, and so on) that are a basic model for all of computing. They are also an example of evolutionary computation, a set of computing techniques that are based on nature's laws of evolution and are important in the related field of artificial life, which involves interest in virtual (computer-based) life forms. To cellular automata hobbyists, they are a dynamic art form that often produces interesting results.