1. A processor comprising: a first memory to store instructions and data for use by the processor, the first memory further to store data representing a first state of a cellular automaton at a first time step, the data to be organized in cells; a first update engine; and a cellular automaton update unit to provide data from selected cells of the cellular automaton to the first update engine, the first update engine to update at least some of the selected cells according to an update rule and a state of any associated neighborhood cells to provide a state of the cellular automaton at a second time step.