A new study by Australian mathematicians suggests that, contrary to the popular “infinite monkey theorem,” even an immense number of chimpanzees typing randomly for the entire estimated lifespan of the universe would almost certainly fail to produce the complete works of Shakespeare.
The thought experiment, often cited to illustrate the idea that infinite time makes highly improbable events possible, was put to the test by mathematicians Stephen Woodcock and Jay Falletta from the University of Technology Sydney. The pair focused on a “finite” version of the theorem, applying realistic limits to assess the probability that a finite number of monkeys could reproduce Shakespeare’s writings within the universe’s lifespan.
Their calculations, based on a single monkey typing one keystroke per second over 30 years on a keyboard with 30 keys, revealed daunting odds. In fact, they found that a single monkey would only have around a 5% chance of typing the word “banana” within its own lifetime. When scaled to 200,000 chimpanzees typing for a duration approximating the age of the universe, the probability of even generating a single page of Shakespeare’s works was practically zero.
The experiment highlights the impracticality of the theorem in finite scenarios. The researchers classified the theorem as a paradox, drawing parallels with others, such as Zeno’s paradox, which defy resolution within real-world constraints. Their findings suggest the theorem may only work as a theoretical model in the context of infinite time and resources.
In conclusion, Woodcock and Falletta note that Shakespeare himself may have inadvertently provided an answer. Referencing Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 3, Line 87, they conclude: “No.”
With input from NDTV World and Science Alert.
