In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the University of Technology Sydney have reevaluated the famous Theorem about the infinite monkey. The theorem, which suggests that a monkey randomly pressing keys will eventually produce Shakespeare’s complete works, has long been a symbol of probability and chance. However, the new study reveals that the immense amount of time required for this to occur would make it practically impossible within the lifespan of our Universe. (source: Science Daily)
Steven Woodcock and Jay Fallet from the university tackled the problem by setting limits on the number of monkeys and the time frame corresponding to the estimated lifespan of the Universe. Their findings, published in the journal Franklin Open, challenge the feasibility of the infinite monkey theorem.
The study assumes a monkey can press keys on a 30-key keyboard – containing the English alphabet and basic punctuation marks – at a rate of one press per second. Researchers also factored in the entire current chimpanzee population, estimated at around 200 thousand individuals.
Results showed that a single monkey has a 5% chance of typing the word “banana” in its lifetime. However, even with the combined efforts of all chimpanzees on Earth, the probability of reproducing Shakespeare’s complete works (approximately 884 thousand words) remains extremely low. Even with increased typing speed or a larger population, monkeys would still not be able to create such a complex text within the Universe’s existence.
The authors of the study highlight the disconnect between theoretical tasks involving infinity and the practical constraints of our reality, as seen in various paradoxes like St. Petersburg, Zeno, and Ross-Litlewood.
These findings prompt further questions about creativity, meaning, and consciousness, especially in the context of generative artificial intelligence.