Claude Shannon
Father of information theory and the digital age
- Lived
- 84 yrs
- 1916 – 2001
- Works listed
- 3
- Thesis, Paper
- Honours
- 4
- Most recent 1985
- Profile views
- 4
- 0 followers
Claude Shannon was an American mathematician and engineer who founded information theory with his 1948 paper “A Mathematical Theory of Communication”. He showed how to measure information in bits and the limits of reliable communication, and earlier proved that Boolean logic could design electrical circuits — foundations of all digital technology.
Biography
The most important master’s thesis
Shannon grew up in Gaylord, Michigan, and studied electrical engineering and mathematics at the University of Michigan. At MIT his 1937 master’s thesis showed that relay switching circuits could implement Boolean algebra, so that logic could be built from electricity. It has been called the most important master’s thesis of the century.
Information theory
At Bell Labs, Shannon published “A Mathematical Theory of Communication” in 1948. It defined information mathematically, introduced the bit as its unit and proved that messages can be sent almost error-free over a noisy channel up to a certain capacity. These ideas underpin data compression, mobile networks, the internet and storage.
Cryptography
During the Second World War he worked on cryptography and fire-control systems, and met Alan Turing. His 1949 paper on secrecy systems put cryptography on a scientific footing.
Playful genius
Shannon built a mechanical mouse called Theseus that learned a maze, a juggling machine, and the “ultimate machine” whose only function was to switch itself off. He wrote an early paper on computer chess and joined MIT’s faculty in 1956. He died in 2001 after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Timeline
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1916
Born in Petoskey, Michigan, United States
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1937
MIT master’s thesis on switching circuits
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1941
Joins Bell Labs
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1948
A Mathematical Theory of Communication
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1949
Communication Theory of Secrecy Systems
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1950
Theseus maze-solving mouse; chess paper
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1956
Joins MIT; Dartmouth AI workshop
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1985
Kyoto Prize
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2001
Dies in Massachusetts
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2001
Died, aged 84
Notable works
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1937
A Symbolic Analysis of Relay and Switching Circuits Thesis
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1948
A Mathematical Theory of Communication Paper
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1950
Programming a Computer for Playing Chess Paper
Awards and honours
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IEEE Medal of Honor
1966
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National Medal of Science
1966
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Harvey Prize
1972
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Kyoto Prize
1985
Did you know?
-
1
He rode a unicycle through the corridors of Bell Labs while juggling.
-
2
The word “bit” was suggested to him by John Tukey.
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3
He used information theory to try to beat casinos and the stock market.
Connections
Related people
Frequently asked
Who is Claude Shannon?
Claude Shannon was an American mathematician and engineer who founded information theory with his 1948 paper “A Mathematical Theory of Communication”. He showed how to measure information in bits and the limits of reliable communication, and earlier proved that Boolean logic could design electrical circuits — foundations of all digital technology.
When did Claude Shannon die?
Claude Shannon died on 24 February 2001 at the age of 84.
Where is Claude Shannon from?
Claude Shannon was born in Petoskey, Michigan, United States.
What is Claude Shannon known for?
Claude Shannon is best known for Information theory; the “bit”; digital circuit design with Boolean logic; cryptography.
What awards has Claude Shannon received?
Notable honours include IEEE Medal of Honor (1966), National Medal of Science (1966), Harvey Prize (1972), Kyoto Prize (1985).
References
- Claude Shannon — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Claude Shannon — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Claude Shannon — Goodreads author page. Goodreads. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Claude Shannon — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Claude Shannon (Q92760) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Claude Shannon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Claude Shannon.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/claude-shannon
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