Gambling with Secrets. Cryptography is explored in this pilot episode which follows the problem of keeping secrets through time. In this introduction we define the problem of keeping secrets.
Transcript
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We begin with a problem. Alice and Bob have a plan. [Music] [Applause] However, they must split up. This now requires them to communicate from a distance to arrange the next step.
They could use telephones to communicate. But there's a problem. Eve. Eve is listening and she has help.
If Alice calls Bob, Eve will hear every word. So Alice decides to send a letter to Bob to arrange a meeting spot. This letter must be written using secret code. So it will appear meaningless to anyone who reads it.
How could they agree on a secret code without first communicating it to each other? What kind of code should she use? These problems lie at the heart of a black art turned science known as cryptography. This transition was fueled by war and conflict.
When secrets matter most, secrecy is intimately tied to human communication. It lies behind the worldwide communication network, global financial systems, the internet, phone calls, everything we might want to hide. To tell this story, we must first travel back in time and visit two important ideas: numbers and probability. These concepts are deeply linked to survival and gambling.