What is information? Explore the surprising answer of American mathematician Claude Shannon, who concluded that information is the ability to distinguish reliably among possible alternatives. Consider why this idea was so revolutionary, and see how it led to the concept of the bit - the basic unit of information.

Accompany the young Claude Shannon to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where in 1937 he submitted a master's thesis proving that Boolean algebra could be used to simplify the unwieldy analog computing devices of the day. Drawing on Shannon's ideas, learn how to design a simple electronic circuit that performs basic mathematical calculations.

Survey the phenomenon of information from pre-history to the projected far future, focusing on the special problem of anti-cryptography - designing an understandable message for future humans or alien civilizations. Close by revisiting Shannon's original definition of information and ask, What does the theory of information leave out?""