Information theory is a field that came into being in 1948, and is responsible for the digital information age that we live in today. In this episode, we get a glimpse into what life was like before digital information, learn about how digital information came to be, and explain what it entails. We’ll also hear from two information theory experts, Professors Ayfer Ozgur and Tsachy Weissman from Stanford University, about how they got started in information theory, what they work on, and what they hope the future of information will look like.
To find out more about Claude Shannon, the creator of the field of information theory, check out these articles and books:
- IEEE Information Theory Society biography
- Claude E. Shannon: Founder of Information Theory
- Claude Shannon, Mathematician, Dies at 84
- A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age
Image of Claude Shannon from the Oberwolfach Photo Collection
Theme music: Little Furnace from Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery by Jim Guthrie, remixed by Mitsuto Suzuki
Transition music: Weirder Stuff by Geographer, Maze by Density and Time, Floating Also by William Rosati, Some Other Place by South London Hifi
Sound effects: https://freesound.org, https://archive.org/