Life and nature simulations

Creatures, flocks, and growing things. Boids and murmurations, fish flee the cursor, plants probe for sunlight, butterflies skim a meadow.

14 simulations

• AutumnA central maple drops leaves across an autumn scene. Cursor pushes leaves around; click sends a gust through the canopy.
• BoidsReynolds 1987 boids — separation, alignment, cohesion — running on a spatial hash grid. Cursor attracts the flock; click repels. Torus wraparound.
• DogA dog with a state machine — runs to chase the cursor, sits when close, sleeps when idle. Click for a heart or a 'WOOF'.
• FirefliesFireflies wander a dark grass field; cursor is a lantern that pulls them in. Click flares the lantern and scatters the swarm.
• Fish pondA school of goldfish in a dark pond; they flee from the cursor while light caustics ripple the surface.
• GrassA meadow of tall grass blades sways in wind, butterflies flutter low above the tips. Cursor pushes blades and butterflies.
• Hot air balloonA hot air balloon drifts toward the cursor across a sunset sky; click fires the burner for flame and lift.
• MurmurationA starling-style flock moves as one mass against a sunset sky and tree silhouettes. Cursor attracts and disturbs the flock.
• SheepdogCursor is the dog. Sheep flee it; once inside the pen they settle.
• Slime moldPhysarum agents sense, turn, step, deposit; the trail map diffuses and decays each frame. Cursor deposits attractors; click drops a burst.
• SnakeA segmented snake follows the cursor, wanders if idle. Click for a brief speed boost; mouth opens and tongue flicks near the cursor.
• SnowflakeThree tiers of snowflakes in sinusoidal drift. Cursor pushes them outward; flakes accumulate as a heightmap, click clears a depression.
• SubmarineA submarine glides toward the cursor through kelp and drifting plankton; propeller spins behind it.
• Sun attractionPlants probe 18 angles for sun-aligned open sky and lean to grow there; conifers cast shadow polygons. Cursor is the sun.

Other categories

• PhysicsInteractive physics in the browser — verlet cloth, particle water, magnets, momentum exchange, vibrating plates.
• Chaos & emergenceStrange attractors, slime mold pathfinding, branching lightning, neural propagation — emergent behavior from simple rules.
• Space & astronomySolar system, black hole accretion, gravitational lensing, meteor shower — interactive astronomy in the browser.
• All simulationsEvery cursor-driven canvas world on crsor — 32 in total.