Student Article
Frankenstein's Monster Would Destroy Humanity in 4,000 Years
Extinction (noun): The end of an entire species or group of organisms when there are no more living members left.
Demise (noun): Death or the end of something.
Competitive (adjective): Trying to win or be the best.
Philosophical (adjective): Related to the study of ideas about knowledge, truth, and the meaning of life.
Fictional (adjective): Not real; made up.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if Frankenstein's monster was real?
A monster's wish
Frankenstein's monster is a terrifying character from Mary Shelley's 1818 novel. The monster is described as having yellow skin and being very strong. In the story, he asks his creator, Victor Frankenstein, to make him a mate so he can be happy. Victor refuses and destroys the mate before she is finished.
Imagining a world with monsters
Two biologists wanted to know what would happen if the monster and a mate were real and lived in South America. They would compete with humans for food, water, and other resources. Over time, the monsters would win, and humans would disappear.
A scary simulation
The scientists created a mathematical model using human population data from 1816. The scientists calculated that the monsters could drive humans to extinction in as little as 4,000 years. This would happen because the monsters would compete with humans for resources, leading to our demise. This concept is known as "competitive exclusion."
A new kind of story
This research shows how Mary Shelley's story combines scientific and philosophical ideas to create a new genre: science fiction. Thankfully, Frankenstein's monster is just a fictional character, so we don't have to worry about this happening in real life!
© James Lloyd / Our Media
Extinction (noun): The end of an entire species or group of organisms when there are no more living members left.
Demise (noun): Death or the end of something.
Competitive (adjective): Trying to win or be the best.
Philosophical (adjective): Related to the study of ideas about knowledge, truth, and the meaning of life.
Fictional (adjective): Not real; made up.