Claude Shannon: the Man and His Impact
Tor Aulin, Claude Shannon, and Torleiv Maseng
(photograph courtesy of Torleiv Maseng)
The Claude Shannon project seeks to preserve the memory of the man whose mathematical theories lay the groundwork for the digital communication technology underlying the Internet. Shannon’s ideas, initially applied to telephone switching systems and early computing, proved tremendously useful in other scientific fields including genetics, encryption, and quantum physics. Shannon, dubbed the father of modern information theory, also applied his theoretical work to one of his favorite hobbies, juggling. His famous juggling machines illustrated his creativity, inveterate tinkering and great powers of invention. If Shannon or his work has influenced you either professionally or personally, please contribute your experiences and recollections to Echo’s permanent digital archive.
Featured Site:
Brandeis University's Arthur Lewbel, an economist and founder of the M.I.T Juggling Club, remembers Claude Shannon's humor, innovative mathematics, and amazing juggling machines. The site includes video of these machines as well as Shannon himself juggling.
Last Updated: August 5, 2004
