Name: The Science of Secrecy
Released: 2000-10-01T00:00:00.000Z

The Science of Secrecy

TV Show · Documentary

Host Simon Singh examines the secretive history behind the development and evolution of ciphers and code breaking. The stories in the series range from the cipher that sealed the fate of Mary, Queen of Scots, to the coded Zimmermann Telegram that changed the course of the First World War.

2000 · 24m

The Zimmermann Telegram

In episode four, a deep and brilliant history of codes is examined. More importantly, we explore the cracking of an encoded telegram from the German foreign minister to the president of Mexico during World War I.

24m
The Babington Plot

Episode one examines the case of Mary Queen of the Scots. A curious cipher in her correspondences resulted in a charge of treason in 1586 for plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I.

24m
Le Chiffre Indechiffabrle: the Uncrackable Code

Episode two profiles mid-19th century inventor and mathematician Charles Babbage, who was challenged to crack a particularly resilient code. This code is none other than the famous Vigenère cipher, which had been left unbreakable for 300 years.

24m
Going Public

Examining public-key cryptography, which was further developed into a cipher known as RSA.

24m
Hieroglyphs

Episode two dives into the race to decipher the incredible and beautiful hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt, discovered at the dawn of the 19th century.

24m

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