This—is the most influential thesis of the 20th century. But did you know? Its author was just 21 years old! Today, he’s known as the "Father of Information Theory." Meet Claude Shannon.

Shannon revolutionized computing by applying Boolean algebra to electrical circuits, enabling them to process information using binary digits—1s and 0s. His groundbreaking 1937 thesis laid the foundation for digital computing and earned him lasting acclaim.

During World War II, Shannon contributed to cryptography for the U.S. government, shaping the future of digital security. In 1943, he met Alan Turing at Bell Labs, sparking a legendary exchange of ideas.

In 1948, Shannon published A Mathematical Theory of Communication, introducing the concept of information and the "bit"—the basic unit of data. His work transformed telecommunications, computing, and encryption, laying the groundwork for the digital age.

From the internet to smartphones, today’s technology owes much to Shannon's visionary ideas.