This document describes a model for simulating DNA replication and evolution using text. It outlines different mutation mechanisms like point mutations, insertions, and deletions that can occur during replication. Parameters like mutation rates and number of generations can be adjusted. Examples are given applying the model to texts, showing how the original text degrades as mutations accumulate over generations through nonsense words. The model demonstrates how high mutation rates can quickly kill off words and species.

1. TextEvolution: Modeling DNA
replication mechanisms with text
Science Hack Day SF 2013
David Harris

2. Mutations and repairs
• Point mutation -> letter substitution
• Insertion mutation -> letter insertion
• Deletion mutation -> letter deletion
• Repair -> spellcheck and replace “broken” words with
best guess at correct word (sometimes you get a favorable
mutation)

3. Parameters
• Do nothing rate
• Point mutation rate
• Insertion rate
• Deletion rate
• Number of generations

4. Examples
• From so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful
and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.
• Fro simple beginning endlessness Dost beautiful and Yost
Wonderful been and bing evolved
• Simple beginning endlessness Dost Beautiful Wonderful
beebread evolved
• beginning godlessness Beebread Evolve

5. Examples
• An American monkey, after getting drunk on brandy,
would never touch it again, and thus is much wiser than
most men.
• Americana monkey after getting drunkenness ditch
against embouchure ooze Chaw most men
• Americana Asterisking drunkenness Chauvinist

6. Examples
• I have tried lately to read Shakespeare, and found it so
intolerably dull that it nauseated me.
• Haversack laxity raped fun so intolerable deal Cronkite
nauseated me

7. Examples
• I love fools' experiments. I am always making them.
• lovelinesses allay marring Oh
• lonelinesses Earring

8. Lessons
• Mutations often kill off species (words)
• Having an insertion or deletion rate too high very rapidly
kills off species (words)
• There are some bizarre words in the English language