The Bank of England unveiled a new 50-pound ($69) note on Thursday, in honor of mathematician Alan Turing who helped the United Kingdom win the Second World War with his code-breaking skills. In 1936, Turing wrote a paper that laid the foundation for modern computer science. The paper also included technical drawings for the machines that were later to be used to decipher the Enigma code.
The new 50-pound banknote includes the following quote from Turing about the rise of machine intelligence: “This is only a foretaste of what is to come, and only the shadow of what is going to be.”
Turing drew from the work of Polish mathematicians who had discovered how to read Germany’s Enigma code as he found a way to crack the highly secure code. The story of Turning’s achievement was chronicled in the 2014 real-life drama film The Imitation Game, in which Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed the leading mathematician.
Using Turing’s techniques, the British Armed Forces were able to decrypt the Nazis’ naval communications network and steer allied forces clear of the U-boats, resulting in a resounding victory during the pivotal Battle of the Atlantic. This 50-pound note, which is the Bank of England’s highest denomination, will enter circulation on June 23rd, Turing’s birthday.
