The United Kingdom's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has unveiled further details about Colossus, often referred to as "the first ever digital computer", for its 80th birthday. A machine which—as this obituary to an MI5 chief scientific officer who helped rebuild it states—could "read Hitler's mind".
OK—we didn't have psychic powers in the 1940s, but Colossus was an absolutely instrumental part of World War 2, and a landmark piece of tech in general. So instrumental, in fact, it was kept a secret from the public for 56 years—and the originals were ordered destroyed by Winston Churchill after the war. Even then, information was relatively limited until now—we've got full pictures of this beast, as well as some fascinating documents.
