In
1936 Turing published one of this century's most significant mathematical papers
"On Computable Numbers, with an Application to the Entscheidundsproblem
(the problem of decidability)". It introduced the idea of a universal
machine, now known as a "Turing Machine", that could execute a series
of operations on sequences of binary digits.
In
1939, Turing joined the British government's Code and Cypher School at Bletchley
Park in Oxfordshire where he led the effort to crack the "Enigma
Code". The Enigma machine was to used to decipher German radio messages
during World War II. As a result, Allied convoys could avoid German U-boats for
safe passage in the North Atlantic. Turing was admired by British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill. For his contributions to his country during the war, Turing
was honored with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) recognition.
After
the war Turing worked on the Automatic Computing Engine at the National Physical
Laboratory. In 1948 Turing began work at Manchester University. He was the
director of the MADAM (Manchester Automatic Digital Machine) project. Turing and
Professor F.C. Williams developed the first successful prototype computer (later
manufactured by Ferranti of Manchester, England). Alan Turing is regarded as the
master mind behind the project.
Throughout
his professional career, Turing was a "known homosexual". He was put
under surveillance at Manchester University because it was believed that his
homosexuality made him a security risk. In the early half of the 1950's,
McCarthyism (named for Sen. Joseph McCarthy - R. Wisconsin) was in full bloom in
America. The loyalties of government officials and careers were ruined in a
political campaign that would mark one of the ugliest chapters in the nation's
history. The witch hunts crossed national boundaries. America pressured the
British government to rid their intelligence establishment of security risks -
including homosexuals.
In
1952, Turing's home was burglarized by a friend of a man with whom he was having
an affair. Refusing to be intimidated, he reported the crime. During the
investigation, he did not hide his homosexuality from the police. He was labeled
a pervert and was charged with gross indecency. He agreed to submit to hormone
treatments rather than go to prison. He was injected with the female hormone
estrogen. It was believed that estrogen injections were useful in curbing sexual
urges.
The
stress and humiliation of his treatment at the hands of the government that he
served loyally throughout his life led to his mental deterioration. Alan
Mathison Turing committed suicide by eating an apple laced with cyanide in 1954.
He was 41 years old.
In 1994 a section of road in Manchester was renamed in his memory as "Alan Turing Way".
Information
Taken from: http://www.lambda.net/~maximum/turing.html