/oss/taxonomy/term/1703/all en /oss/article/controversial-science-history-news/mathematician-alan-turing-great-mind-20th-century <p>Sir Winston Churchill said Alan Turing’s breaking of German codes for secret messages shortened the Second World War by two years. Computer scientists credit Turing with formulating the philosophical principles that power every computer and smartphone today. Researchers in artificial intelligence, meanwhile, label him the founder of their field. Chemists say Turning predicted the existence of reactions that change colour in a periodic fashion before these had ever been observed.</p> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 14:12:14 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2156 at /oss