The "Game of Life" is a cellular automaton created by mathematician John Conway in 1970. It consists of a grid of cells that can be either alive or dead. The state of each cell changes based on simple rules that consider the states of neighboring cells, leading to complex patterns and behaviors over time. Players start with an initial configuration of cells and observe how they evolve through generations. The game demonstrates concepts in mathematics, computer science, and biology, illustrating how simple rules can lead to intricate and unpredictable outcomes in systems, often referred to as emergent behavior.