SciTech Tuesday: Alan Turing

Image courtesy of the University of Cambridge.

June 23 marks the birthday of Alan Turing, the British mathematician best known for the cryptoanalysis of German codes during World War II. Before his time at Bletchley Park, Great Britain’s codebreaking headquarters, Turing conceived of the modern computer on paper using mathematics before the technology existed to actually build the computer. Called the Turing Machine, it formed the theoretical foundation for modern computer science.

During the war, Alan Turing led Hut 8, a section of the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park responsible for deciphering German naval messages. His contributions allowed the Allies to break the Enigma, turning the tide in the Battle of the Atlantic and eventually providing critical intelligence in preparation for the D-Day landings.

Read more about the capture of the Enigma from U-559 and Bletchley Park’s role in Allied victory.

Post by Annie Tête, STEM Education Coordinator