Rule 34Stephen Wolfram (29 August 1959) is a physicist, mathematician and businessman from Britain. He is best known for his work in cellular automata, complexity theory, computer algebra, cosmology, and theoretical particle physics. Wolfram is the creator of the computer program Mathematica.

The Wolfram Atlas of Simple Programs lists what are considered to be among the simplest computational systems possible. However, they are capable of sophisticated computations and exhibit a broad range of behavior. These systems follow a definite set of rules, as does science.

The Atlas is based in part on the idea that if nature follows definite rules that, in turn, define computational systems within it, those systems can be expected to share properties with a vast range of other systems. The Atlas is a compendium of simple programs and processes which can occur in nature. If so, they will be fundamentally similar to what can be modelled with abstract systems.

Rule 34 is part of a set that define Cellular Automata (CA), a discrete model that consists of a regular grid of cells, each in one of a finite number of states. CA are defined by mapping the values of a cell and its neighbors to the next value of that cell. If the value of a cell and its neighborhood are matched to a state, the next state of that range can be defined if the values of the cells to the right and left of the range are also known.

Every cell has the same rule for updating, based on the values in this neighbourhood. Each time the rules are applied to the whole grid a new generation is created. The rules for Elementary Cellular Automata, including Wolfram's Rule 34, have many fascinating properties and implications.

The number 34 alone is the ninth distinct biprime and the 6th composite member of the 7-aliquot tree. Rule 34 also refers to the internet "fact" that if you can imagine it, there is porn of it.