Alan Turing (1912-1954): The Enigma Codebreaker

Alan Turing was a brilliant English mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, and theoretical biologist. Born in London, England, he studied at King's College, Cambridge, and Princeton University. His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern computer science, artificial intelligence, and theoretical biology. During World War II, he played a pivotal role in cracking the German Enigma code, significantly contributing to the Allied victory. His development of the bombe, a machine that could decipher Enigma-encrypted messages, was a crucial breakthrough. Beyond his wartime contributions, Turing's theoretical work on computability and artificial intelligence has had a profound and lasting impact on the field of computer science.