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Alan Turing

✨ 1912–1954, Computer science and cryptography

Alan Turing (1912–1954) was a British mathematician and logician who helped found computer science. In 1936, he described an abstract machine, now called the Turing machine, that could read, write and change symbols by following rules. The model helped define which problems can be solved by computation.

During the Second World War, Turing worked at Bletchley Park, the British codebreaking centre. He helped analyse German messages encrypted by Enigma and contributed to the design of the Bombe, an electromechanical machine used to test possible Enigma settings. Many specialists took part, so Turing was an important contributor, not the sole person who "broke Enigma".

After the war, Turing worked on early electronic computers in Britain and studied the limits of computation. In 1950, he proposed an experiment later called the Turing test, asking whether, in a conversation, a machine's answers could be difficult to distinguish from those of a human.

He also studied mathematical biology and developed models for how patterns such as stripes and spots might arise in living organisms. Turing died in 1954, aged 41. His work influenced computer science, artificial intelligence and mathematics, while his biological research showed how mathematical models can help explain natural patterns. His legacy remains important for understanding both the possibilities and limits of computing.

💡 Did you know?

The machine against the machine. During the Second World War, enemies used 'Enigma', a machine that changed its secret codes every night. Turing understood that a human brain was not fast enough to find them. He therefore invented 'Bombe', his own giant machine capable of thinking faster than anyone!

Can a machine think? Turing invented a famous test: if you chat by message with someone without knowing if it's a human or a computer, and you're mistaken, then the computer passed its test. It's the 'Turing Test' which today helps scientists create increasingly intelligent AIs.

A mathematician marathoner. Alan was not only a numbers genius, he was also an exceptional long-distance runner! He loved to run very long distances to relax his mind and think about complicated mathematical problems. He ran so fast that he almost made the Olympic running team!