Latest news with #TuringPapers
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Alan Turing papers saved from shredder could fetch £150,000
Nicknamed the father of theoretical computer science, Alan Turing's influence on modern life continues to be felt in the age of artificial intelligence. But despite this legacy, a cache of his most important papers was nearly shredded – only to be saved at the last minute when their significance was recognised at a family event. At auction next month, the papers are expected to sell for as much as £150,000 in 13 separate lots. Among the collection is the wartime codebreaker's personal signed copy of his 1938 PhD dissertation, Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals, valued at between £40,000 to £60,000. Also featured is his paper On Computable Numbers, also known as Turing's Proof, which introduced the world to the idea of a universal computing machine in 1936. It has been described as the first programming manual of the computer age and also has a guide price of £40,000 to £60,000. The papers, known as offprints, were produced in very small numbers and distributed among fellow scholars, making these incredibly scarce survivors of a kind that rarely ever appear on the market. Jim Spencer, the director of Rare Book Auctions of Lichfield, Staffordshire, was asked to assess the papers, which were handed to him in a carrier bag, and he is now overseeing their sale. 'Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to find in that carrier bag. I opened it and thought 'good lord',' he said. 'Intensively researching and cataloguing these papers has left me feeling that Alan Turing was superhuman. For me, it's like studying the language of another planet, something composed by an ultra-intelligent civilisation.' Turing played a vital role in cracking the German Enigma code when he worked at the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, which was crucial to the allied victory in the second world war. His theories have been credited with informing and shaping modern artificial intelligence. Spencer said he expected interest would be strong in Silicon Valley, where Turing's influence continues. Turing was later persecuted for being gay and took his own life in 1954 aged 41. The discovery of the papers was the result of a series of serendipitous events. After Turing's death, his mother, Ethel, gave his papers to his loyal friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge. Routledge kept the papers for the rest of his life, storing them in the loft of his home in Bermondsey, south London. Routledge died in 2013 and his sister recovered the documents during a clearout. She stored them in her attic where they remained until she moved into a care home. Her daughters then came across the papers but did not realise their significance and planned to put them through a shredder along with other documents. But last November they took them to a family reunion event and one relative suggested they seek an expert opinion. This was where Spencer came in. 'These seemingly plain papers – perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers – represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing,' he said. The papers include The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis, from 1952. Thisis described as Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology, and his last major published work. It has since become a basic model in theoretical biology. Turing's life ended in tragedy. Charged as a criminal, barred from GCHQ, banned from the US and forced to undergo chemical castration, he took his own life two years after his conviction. 'This injustice, and the fact he didn't survive to see his enormous influence and impact, makes these papers feel so special,' Spencer said. The sale takes place on 17 June.
The Independent
09-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Rare Alan Turing wartime papers saved for the nation after export bar
A collection of rare project writings by Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing has been saved for the nation after an export bar was placed on them to prevent them being taken abroad. The wartime documents are valued at more than £397,000 and relate to the Delilah project, which developed a portable encryption system for use in military operations. They were saved for the nation after an export bar was placed on them and then funds were raised to buy them – including £250,000 from algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets. There was also a £20,000 grant from the charity Friends of the Nations' Libraries, and more than £97,000 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, private donations, and King's College, Cambridge. The documents will join the largest collection of Turing-related documents at King's College, Cambridge and – once digitised – they will become part of the Turing Papers online archive, freely available to scholars. Following Turing's ground-breaking work on the Enigma machines at Bletchley Park, he began work on the Delilah project at Hanslope Park to develop a portable encryption system or voice scrambler to protect military secrets in the field. The papers consist of more than 40 pages of unpublished Delilah project notes written by Turing and colleague Donald Bayley. Unpublished evidence of Turing's work has rarely survived. Turing himself did not usually keep research notes, working drafts or correspondence. Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy said: 'It's brilliant news that the Friends of the Nations' Libraries charity has successfully campaigned to save Alan Turing's vital notebooks. 'Turing was not only a pioneering figure in science and mathematics, but also a national hero. 'This is a powerful example of what can be achieved when private and charitable sectors come together. 'After a Government export ban was placed on the notebooks, this collaboration has ensured that these treasures will be preserved for years to come.' Turing arrived at King's College as an undergraduate in 1931 and was made a Fellow in 1935. The Turing Archive was founded in 1960 following a donation of his papers by his mother, Sara Turing. King's College Provost Gillian Tett said: 'Alan Turing's work laid the foundations of computer science, artificial intelligence and much of our modern world. 'We are honoured to house the 'Delilah' papers at King's and are deeply grateful to our partners in this endeavour.' Geordie Greig, Chair of Friends of the Nations' Libraries, said: 'This extraordinary private donation means that crucial papers written by one of Britain's geniuses have been saved and can studied at Cambridge.' Alex Gerko, Founder and co-chief executive at XTX Markets, said: 'The 'Delilah' papers are a unique collection of notes from one of the nation's greatest mathematicians. 'It's important that this archive remains in the UK and is made publicly accessible, so we are thrilled to be part of that effort.'
BBC News
09-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Alan Turing papers worth £397k saved from export
A collection of rare documents by World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing have been saved for the year, a temporary export bar was placed on the wartime project writings to prevent them being taken abroad.A successful campaign was launched to keep the papers on home soil, which were described by the government as some of Turing's most "inventive, secret, and overlooked work".Lisa Nandy has announced that the documents will join the largest collection of Turing artefacts at King's College, Cambridge. "This is a powerful example of what can be achieved when private and charitable sectors come together," she said."This collaboration has ensured that these treasures will be preserved for years to come."In the UK, significant cultural objects require a licence to be considered too important to leave can be placed under a temporary export ban, which allows British buyers time to raise funds to purchase the items digitised, they will become part of the Turing Papers online archive, freely available to scholars. The papers, valued at more than £397,000, relate to the Delilah project, which developed a portable encryption system - or voice scrambler - to protect secrets during military worked on the project at Hanslope Park, near Milton Keynes, in 1943 following his groundbreaking work on the Enigma machines at Bletchley documents consist of more than 40 pages of unpublished notes written by Turing and colleague Donald evidence of Turing's work has rarely survived. The project to save the documents was led by the Friends of the Nations' Libraries donors included the National Heritage Memorial Fund and King's algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets donated £250, College provost Gillian Tett said: "Alan Turing's work laid the foundations of computer science, artificial intelligence and much of our modern world."We are honoured to house the Delilah papers at King's and are deeply grateful to our partners in this endeavour."Turing arrived at King's College as an undergraduate in 1931 and was made a fellow in Turing Archive was founded in 1960 following a donation of his papers by his mother, Sara died of cyanide poisoning in June 1954. His death was thought to be suicide. Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks or BBC Cambridgeshire.
