Given an infinite amount of time, an infinite number of monkeys randomly prodding keys on a typewriter could, in theory, eventually replicate the works of William Shakespeare. At least, that's what a thought experiment called the infinite monkey theorem states.
The article from Live Science explores the theoretical question of whether monkeys typing randomly on typewriters could eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare. It delves into the mathematical concept known as the Infinite Monkey Theorem, which posits that given an infinite amount of time, a monkey hitting keys at random would almost surely type out any given text, including Shakespeare's works. However, the article explains that the likelihood of this happening in any practical timeframe is astronomically low due to the sheer number of possible combinations of letters. For instance, even typing just the 38 characters of "To be or not to be, that is the question" would take an incalculably long time if left to random chance. The piece also touches on variations of the theorem, like using a computer to simulate the typing, and discusses how this thought experiment illustrates concepts in probability and the vastness of infinity.
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