Simulating Chemistry with Minecraft Crafting Recipes: Elements Undergo Fission

matthen2 · x · 2026-08-01

A developer created a highly creative animation using a physics engine: chemical elements are mapped to Minecraft items, and chemical reactions are designed as the game's 3x3 crafting recipes.

The simulation starts with basic items like cobblestone, oak, iron, and gold. Each item has four bond sites and drifts around to stick together. Once they form a valid in-game recipe, they automatically "craft" into a new item. Eventually, this fusion-like process generates 83 distinct items, with some items even spontaneously undergoing "fission" by splitting into smaller nuggets.

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