Alan Turing Counted Bike Pedals

British mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing was known for eccentric habits during his time at Bletchley Park. Each June, he cycled to work wearing a gas mask to block pollen, and when his bike chain kept slipping, he did not simply repair it. Instead, he counted how many pedal turns came before each slip, then stopped just in time to adjust the chain by hand.

Previous Fact Next Fact