A recent paper by Australian mathematicians dismisses the long-held belief that monkeys could eventually type out Shakespeare’s works given infinite time, concluding it’s unfeasible even with an expansive chimpanzee population.
Monkeys and Shakespeare: Infinite Typing Myths Debunked
Monkeys and Shakespeare: Infinite Typing Myths Debunked
A new study reveals that the infinite monkey theorem may not hold water as previously thought.
Two Australian mathematicians have critically evaluated the classic notion known as the "infinite monkey theorem," which suggests that a monkey randomly pressing keys on a typewriter for an infinite time could eventually recreate the complete works of William Shakespeare. The researchers, Stephen Woodcock and Jay Falletta from Sydney, have determined that the time required for even a solitary monkey to replicate Shakespeare's plays, sonnets, and poems would exceed the lifespan of the universe itself.
This revelation positions the theorem as mathematically correct but fundamentally misleading. Their study takes into account not just individual monkeys but also the global chimpanzee population, which stands at around 200,000. Their calculations reveal that even if every chimpanzee typed a key every second until the universe's end, the chances of composing any meaningful text—like Shakespeare's oeuvre—are astronomically slim.
Specifically, the likelihood of a single chimp producing the word "bananas" over its lifetime is approximately 5%, while constructing a random sentence such as "I chimp, therefore I am" is a staggering one in 10 million billion billion. The paper asserts that despite hypothetical increases in typing speed or chimpanzee numbers, monkey labor would remain an impractical approach to inventing substantive written works.
The researchers' findings are based on the prevailing heat death theory of the universe, which posits a slow and frigid eventual demise of all matter. This theory illustrates a universe where not only does expansion continue, but decay and fading follow suit.
In conclusion, Professor Woodcock emphasizes that this study categorizes the infinite monkey theorem alongside other probability enigmas, showcasing that assumptions of infinite resources yield results that starkly differ from realistic constraints of our universe.
