WWII codebreaker Alan Turing honored on new UK bank note

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By PAN PYLAS

LONDON (AP) — The rainbow flag is flying proudly Thursday above the Bank of England in the heart of London’s financial district to commemorate World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, the new face of Britain’s 50-pound note.

The design of the bank note was unveiled before it is set to be formally issued to the public on June 23, Turing’s birthday. The 50-pound note is the most valuable denomination in circulation but is little used during everyday transactions, especially during the coronavirus pandemic as digital exchanges increasingly replaced the use of cash.

The new note, which is laden with high-level security features, completes the bank’s rejig of its stable of paper currencies over the past few years. Turing’s image joins that of Winston Churchill on the five-pound note, novelist Jane Austen on the 10-pound note and artist J. M. W. Turner on the 20-pound note. All the notes are made from polymer rather than paper, which means they should last longer and remain in better condition through their use.

The new note incorporates two windows and a two-color foil that designers say will make it very difficult to counterfeit. There is also a hologram image which changes between the words “Fifty” and “Pounds” when the note is tilted from side to side, as well as an embedded microchip to pay tribute to Turing’s role in the birth of computers.



In this photo provided by the Bank of England on Thursday, March 25, 2021,S arah John, Chief Cashier at the Bank of England, holds the new 50-pound note featuring scientist Alan Turing. The rainbow flag is flying proudly above the Bank of England in the heart of London’s financial district to commemorate legendary World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, the new face of Britain’s 50-pound note. The design of the banknote, which is the most valuable in circulation, was unveiled Thursday before it is formally issued on June 23, Turing’s birthday. (Bank of England via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/world-news-england-jane-austen-london-winston-churchill-d965076529b70fc8dbb020d364d88176

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Great book and movie.



The rainbow flag flies above the Bank of England to celebrate the unveiling of the new fifty pound note in London, Thursday, March 25, 2021. The new £50 banknote features the scientist Alan Turing. Following its public unveil today, the polymer £50 will be issued for the first time on June 23, 2021, which coincides with Alan Turing's birthday. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

[Turbineguy]

1. Very appropriate!

[NurseJackie]

14. Here's a nice image of the banknote...

[The Jungle 1]

2. What GB did to the genius that was Alan Turing is way past wrong.

I understand there is no way to go back but I sure wish more people would spend some time in contemplation of the fate we handed a world hero.

[localroger]

3. The CIA had a big hand in goading them to hound Turing

Turing knew a lot of big secrets, and the Americans were convinced that because he was gay he was a security risk. Meanwhile the Brits were walking on eggshells because they were afraid of being frozen out of the nuclear club, and becoming irrelevant.

[lagomorph777]

6. This is obviously meant to begin to address that.

And shame on our CIA if we had a hand in his fate!

[Tommymac]

4. Turing laid the foundation for AI and modern computing.

IMO he will be joining Sir Isaac, Galileo, Darwin, and other pioneer thinkers in the history books someday.

[lagomorph777]

7. He also helped save the world from Hitler.

[Tommymac]

13. Yes he did.

Can't remember the name of the book I read about him during this period but it was eye opening how he used standards like the ability to solve crossword puzzles to recruit his code breakers.

[NNadir]

5. Well given all that the UK government did historically to make him kill himself, it's small...

...consolation.

He literally saved the country and they literally told him that to stay out of prison he needed to cut his balls off.

It's one of the worst cases of ingratitude and ignorance ever. It ranks with Galois getting killed in a bar fight for damage done.

[GoneOffShore]

8. And GCHQ has a puzzle for anyone to solve -

GCHQ releases 'most difficult puzzle ever' in honour of Alan Turing

12 riddles linked to new £50 note featuring the codebreaker may take seven hours to crack

GCHQ has released its “most difficult puzzle ever”, a set of 12 riddles linked to design elements of the new £50 note featuring the mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing.

The questions begin with a relatively straightforward crossword-style puzzle that starts by asking where GCHQ’s predecessor agency, where Turing worked, was based during the second world war. A two-word answer, nine letters then four, is required.

The spy agency, which believes setting puzzles gives the public an insight into its surveillance work, said it thought the multi-part “Turing challenge” would take an experienced puzzler seven hours to complete.

If you want to try to solve the puzzle, you can go to the GCHQ website.

[Solly Mack]

9. I see stories like this and I don't think "How nice!". I think about all the torment

a nation or group put someone (and in the plurals) through and how, after a seemingly prescribed period of time passes, they think they can - safely - and from a distance, act as if they feel bad about it all and that it is all good now.

After everyone that could be held accountable is dead or they can claim so much time has passed that it would be pointless to seek or expect justice.

Course, Turing did die, so that did make it easier for them. Nice and tidy. The dead can't push back.

Here's your face on a bank note. But, no, we don't want to talk about the horrors we put you through with our ignorance and hate. Isn't it enough that we appreciate you now?

[sarge43]

10. All the bank notes in the UK can't wipe his tears and blood away. n/t

[turbinetree]

11. Well said..........

[Floyd R. Turbo]

12. Too little, too late! 🖕🏻 🇬🇧 ❗️