fixed from https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/julia-dev/cqy4qAKMCHQ

gistfile1.jl

# simple Game of Life in Julia
function evolve(N::Int,grid,grid1)
  for x = 1:N; for y = 1:N
       n = 0      
       for dx = -2:0; for dy = -2:0
           x1 = (x + dx + N) % N + 1   # periodic boundaries
           y1 = (y + dy + N) % N + 1
           if grid[x1,y1]; n += 1; end
       end end
       if grid[x,y]; n -= 1; end
       grid1[x,y] = (n == 3 || (n == 2 && grid[x,y])) 
  end end
end

function iterate_grid(N::Int,iter::Int)
  grid = randbool(N,N)   # start with a random grid
  grid1 = Array(Bool,(N,N))
  for i=1:iter
    evolve(N,grid,grid1)
    (grid,grid1) = (grid1,grid)  # swap the grids
  end
  grid
end

julia> iterate_grid(10,10)
10x10 BitArray{2}:
false false true false false false false false false false
false true false false false true false true true false
false false true false false true false true true true
false false false true false false false false false true
true true true false false false false false false false
true true true false false false false false true true
true true true false false false true true true true
false false false false false false true true false false
false false false false false false false false false false
false false true false true false false false false false