Father of Modern Computer Science, Alan Turing was a pioneering English mathematician, computer scientist, codebreaker, and theoretical biologist. Talking about this genius would take a lot of time due to his findings and various contributions, so to sum it up, here are 10 facts about this remarkable man.
10 Facts About Alan Turing: Father Of Modern Computer Science
1. His Intelligence Was Evident From An Early Age
Turing was born on 23 June 1912 in London. He and his brother were left in the care of foster parents while their parents worked in India.
Most of his tutors stated that he was a genius. His headmistress and his math teacher were all awed by the intelligence of Turing. At a very young age of 9, he was interested in chess and started working on problems that were beyond a normal child’s capacity. Even though he paid less attention to humanities and economics classes, his exam results always proved to be splendid. His notes were well-formulated and he was knowledgeable on the theory of relativity.
2. His ‘first Love’ Was Christopher Morcom
Christoper Morcom was the first love of Turing. He passed away due to tuberculosis, which left Turing heartbroken. He made sure he lived the rest of his life in such a way that he could fulfill Christopher’s lost potential.
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3. He Developed His Ideas And Codebreaking Prowess At University
In 1931, Turing studied mathematics at King’s College, University of Cambridge. He was very strong in the field of mathematics and code deciphering. At the same time, he thrived at rowing and long-distance running. He played a huge role in the Anti-War Council.
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4. He Famously Cracked The ‘enigma’ Code
Turing was a part-timer for British Government’s Code and Cypher School (now GCHQ) even before World War Two started. He took hold a full-time job with his teams deciphering all the military codes used by Germany and its allies.
5. He Cracked Several Other Significant Wartime Codes
The Father of Modern Computer science was able to crack down the X German Naval Enigma communication signals, in the year 1941, with the help of his team.
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6. His Codebreaking Operations At Bletchley Park Shortened The War
Having tremendous knowledge of computers and their workings, Alan Turing was able to shorten the war and help the Allied Forces win and save around 14 million lives. Turing was awarded an OBE in 1945 by King George VI for his services to the country.
7. His “Turing Machine” Effectively Invented Modern Computers
The Father of Modern Computing is definitely Turing, thanks to his invention of the Turing Machine. The “Turing Machine” went on to become the foundation of the theory of computation, formalizing the concept of “algorithm”. Turing always wondered about the limits and was mesmerized by the machine’s potential.
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8. His Work Still Influences Artificial Intelligence Technology
He designed an input-output system for a computer’s development, its programming system, and the first-ever programming manual.
In 1950, he wrote “Computing Machinery and Intelligence”, which was famous due to a test through which machines can be analyzed and it can be determined whether they can truly be intelligent. Turing designed the first computer chess program, “Turochamp” as well.
9. He Was Chemically Castrated
In 1952, Turing reported a burglary to the police. When his friend told Turing about the thief’s identity, it led to investigators questioning their relationship. Turing openly admitted that he had a sexual relationship with his friend. At that time, there was a law against homosexuality, hence he was made an outcast in all the fields. However, he avoided prison by accepting 12 months of hormone ‘therapy’ injections (chemical castration with estrogen), which left him impotent.
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10. He Died From Cyanide Poisoning
Alan Turing, father of modern computer science was found dead on 8 June 1954, having died the previous day from cyanide poisoning, at the age of 41. His mother thought it was an accident caused by eating an apple right after a chemistry experiment. Yet many are still wondering if this was a murder or a suicide, as Turing knew a lot about many classified files.
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