Nathaniel Johnston

Nathaniel Johnston is a researcher specializing in quantum information theory, combinatorics, and computational mathematics. He is the creator of QETLAB, a MATLAB toolbox for quantum entanglement, and the founder of ConwayLife.com, a major resource on cellular automata including the comprehensive LifeWiki. He also maintains StatDistributions.com and PlatPrices.com.

His research spans:

• Quantum entanglement and quantum error correction
• Superpermutations and combinatorics on words
• Conway’s Game of Life and cellular automata
• Matrix norms and linear preserver problems
• Applications of linear algebra to puzzles like Lights Out
• Geometric optimization and calculus problems

He produces educational math videos using Manim, covering advanced topics in an accessible format. His scholarly output includes significant contributions to open problems in mathematics and software tools widely used in the research community. He actively engages with users via GitHub and social media (Bluesky).

Notable Projects:

• QETLAB: A MATLAB toolbox for quantum entanglement, actively developed and cited in research.
• ConwayLife.com / LifeWiki: The largest encyclopedia of Conway’s Game of Life patterns.
• StatDistributions.com: A tool for calculating p-values and test statistics.
• PlatPrices.com: A non-academic site tracking PlayStation game prices and trophies.

Scientific Contributions:

• Disproved the minimal superpermutation conjecture.
• Developed algorithms for computing hard-to-compute matrix norms.
• Created accessible explanations of complex topics via video and interactive tools.

While his current institutional affiliation is not stated, his body of work, software development, and scholarly communication confirm his status as an active academic researcher in applied and computational mathematics.