The level you change the cell in will be destroyed by a wave of chaos radiating outward from the original damage, leaving boring 'ash' patterns in its wake.
The levels below that one will be unaffected, faithfully simulating the chaos happening above them using their unbroken technology.
The levels above that one will no longer be simulating the Game of Life. The broken part of the levels below will appear as a faded spot, neither white nor black, growing forever but exponentially slower each level you go up.