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To commemorate Alan Mathison Turing, born 23 June 1912 & took his own life 7th June 1954, two years after being outed as gay.
Homosexuality was a crime & Turing was convicted of “indecency.”
#AlanTuring
To commemorate Alan Mathison Turing, born 23 June 1912 & took his own life 7th June 1954, two years after being outed as gay.
Homosexuality was a crime & Turing was convicted of “indecency.”
#AlanTuring
Science was a considered a second-class pursuit in English public schools in the 1920s.
Alan Turing’s passion for science embarrassed his mother, who had hoped he would study the classics, which was the most acceptable pursuit for gentlemen.
His English teacher wrote:
Alan Turing’s passion for science embarrassed his mother, who had hoped he would study the classics, which was the most acceptable pursuit for gentlemen.
His English teacher wrote:
“I can forgive his writing, though it is the worst I have ever seen & I try to view tolerantly his unswerving inexactitude & slipshod, dirty work, but I cannot forgive the stupidity of his attitude towards sane discussion on the New Testament.”
His maths and science grades weren’t much better.
He was nearly stopped from taking the national School Certificate exams on the subject, for fear he would fail.
He was nearly stopped from taking the national School Certificate exams on the subject, for fear he would fail.
Though he was considered an average student, Turing was dedicated to his schooling.
When a general strike prevented him from taking the train to his first day at his new boarding school, the 14-year-old rode his bike the 62 miles to get there
When a general strike prevented him from taking the train to his first day at his new boarding school, the 14-year-old rode his bike the 62 miles to get there
Even as a child, Alan saw life through the eyes of a scientist.
There is a famous sketch of Turing as a boy “watching the daisies grow” while the other children play field hockey.
There is a famous sketch of Turing as a boy “watching the daisies grow” while the other children play field hockey.
Turing made ground-breaking progress in 1952 on morphogenesis, which became a completely new field of mathematical biology.
It was a mathematical explanation of how things grow
It was a mathematical explanation of how things grow
In 1928 Turing met and became close friends with new classmate Christopher Morcom.
Soon a deep attachment bloomed between the boys & Alan developed an unspoken crush.
On 13th Feb 1930 Christopher Morcom died of bovine tuberculosis
He was Alan's first love
Soon a deep attachment bloomed between the boys & Alan developed an unspoken crush.
On 13th Feb 1930 Christopher Morcom died of bovine tuberculosis
He was Alan's first love
He read Einstein’s theory of relativity as a teenager & had a notebook filled with his own thoughts & ideas.
He loved quantum mechanics, a new field at the time, as well as biology, chemistry & neurology after the war.
He focused on creating machines that could learn & “think”
He loved quantum mechanics, a new field at the time, as well as biology, chemistry & neurology after the war.
He focused on creating machines that could learn & “think”
In 1936, he developed the idea for the Universal Turing Machine, the basis for the first computer.
He also developed a test for artificial intelligence in 1950, which is still used today.
He also developed a test for artificial intelligence in 1950, which is still used today.
Alan Turing began working at Bletchley Park, Britain’s secret headquarters for its codebreakers during World War II, in 1939.
His work there may have cut the war short by up to two years and he is credited with saving millions of lives.
His work there may have cut the war short by up to two years and he is credited with saving millions of lives.
He was also an Olympic-level runner
He ran to where he needed to go & used to run 10 miles between the two places where he did most of his work, the National Physical Laboratory & the electronics building on Dollis Hill, beating colleagues who took public transportation there
He ran to where he needed to go & used to run 10 miles between the two places where he did most of his work, the National Physical Laboratory & the electronics building on Dollis Hill, beating colleagues who took public transportation there
He joined running clubs and won several races.
In 1948, his best marathon time was 2 hours 46 minutes 3 seconds, only 11 minutes slower than the Olympic winning time that year.
During World War II, he occasionally ran the 40 miles between London and Bletchley Park for meetings
In 1948, his best marathon time was 2 hours 46 minutes 3 seconds, only 11 minutes slower than the Olympic winning time that year.
During World War II, he occasionally ran the 40 miles between London and Bletchley Park for meetings
He had a bit of a stammer and took his time carefully finding the right words.
A BBC radio producer called Turing a very difficult person to interview for that reason.
A BBC radio producer called Turing a very difficult person to interview for that reason.
Alan wore a gas mask while riding his bike to combat his allergies.
He was known around Bletchley Park for chaining his tea mug to a radiator to prevent it from being taken by other members of staff
Alan Turing created an algorithm for an early version of computer chess & created with paper and pencil.
The Turochamp programme was designed to think two moves ahead, picking out the best moves possible.
The Turochamp programme was designed to think two moves ahead, picking out the best moves possible.
In 2012, Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov played against Turing’s algorithm, beating it in 16 moves.
“I would compare it to an early car—you might laugh at them but it is still an incredible achievement," Kasparov said in a statement after the match-up.
“I would compare it to an early car—you might laugh at them but it is still an incredible achievement," Kasparov said in a statement after the match-up.
Alan Turing also sponsored two Jewish refugee children from Austria and brought to the UK after Kristallnacht in November 1938. He helped educate them in the UK.
The laws at the time prevented Alan Turing from being openly gay, but he never kept his sexuality secret either.
He was open with his social circles at Kings College in Cambridge, which was “an oasis of acceptance” at the time.
He was open with his social circles at Kings College in Cambridge, which was “an oasis of acceptance” at the time.
In 1952, he was arrested & charged with “indecency” after a brief relationship with another man.
Defiant, the first thing he said was he thought that this shouldn’t be against the law,”
He gave a statement that was unapologetic & detailed what had happened
Defiant, the first thing he said was he thought that this shouldn’t be against the law,”
He gave a statement that was unapologetic & detailed what had happened
The punishment for homosexuality was chemical castration, a series of hormone injections that left Turing impotent.
It also caused gynecomastia, giving him breasts.
But Turing refused to let the treatment sway him from his work, keeping up his lively spirit.
It also caused gynecomastia, giving him breasts.
But Turing refused to let the treatment sway him from his work, keeping up his lively spirit.
But to his close friends, it was obvious it was traumatic.
Alan really fought back by insisting on continuing work as if nothing had happened
He mocked the law’s absurdity and even traveled to Norway and the Mediterranean where the gay rights movements were just starting.
Alan really fought back by insisting on continuing work as if nothing had happened
He mocked the law’s absurdity and even traveled to Norway and the Mediterranean where the gay rights movements were just starting.
However, homosexuality was considered a security risk at the time & his conviction cost him his security clearance.
When he was subsequently restricted from leaving the country, this ultimately led Turing to suicide.
It would have been hard to accept that he was not trusted
When he was subsequently restricted from leaving the country, this ultimately led Turing to suicide.
It would have been hard to accept that he was not trusted
Turing was well-respected in his time, but his contemporaries didn’t know the full extent of his contributions.
His work breaking the Enigma machine, which he called Christopher after his first love remained classified long after his death.
#AlanTuring
His work breaking the Enigma machine, which he called Christopher after his first love remained classified long after his death.
#AlanTuring
