Microcosm is a simulator inspired by Conway's Game of Life, but with a unique twist on the rules. It allows you to explore cellular automata in a dynamic and interactive way, with additional features like predefined patterns and a "plague" mechanic.

• Start/Stop Simulation: Press SPACE to toggle the simulation's running state.
• Clear Grid: Press C to clear the entire grid, resetting all cells to an inactive state.
• Randomize Grid: Press R to randomly activate cells across the grid.
• Add Glider: Press G to add a predefined "glider" pattern to the grid.

• Trigger Plague: Press P to randomly deactivate (clear) 20% of the cells in the grid, simulating a plague.

• Toggle Cell State: Click on a cell with the left mouse button to toggle its state (alive or dead).

• Cell Survival: A live cell with 2 or 3 live neighbors survives to the next generation.
• Cell Death: A live cell with fewer than 2 or more than 3 live neighbors dies (underpopulation or overpopulation).
• Cell Reproduction: A dead cell with exactly 3 live neighbors becomes alive in the next generation.

• Glider: A small pattern that moves diagonally across the grid.
• Blinker: A simple oscillator that alternates between horizontal and vertical states.

• The simulation updates every 0.5 seconds (adjustable via the UPDATE_INTERVAL constant).
• Additional delays can be added to slow down the simulation further.

Microcosm is more than just a game; it’s a representation of how simple rules can lead to complex and emergent behavior. It demonstrates concepts such as:

• Life and Death: The rules mimic real-world dynamics of survival, overpopulation, and extinction.
• Chaos and Order: Random initial conditions can lead to stable patterns, oscillations, or complete chaos.
• Resilience and Fragility: The plague mechanic highlights how systems can adapt or collapse under external stress.
• Exploration of Complexity: By experimenting with patterns, you can observe how small changes propagate and affect the system as a whole.

Microcosm invites players to explore these ideas in a sandbox environment, encouraging curiosity and creativity.