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Thinking machines: Stories from the history of computing

Until the early 20th century, a computer was a person who performed calculations by hand. But key innovations in technology saw machines take on this role—what were they, and who was behind them?

In the short history of computers as we know them, these world-changing machines have shrunk dramatically. Meanwhile their processing power only continues to increase, so that most of us now have a powerful computer in our pocket.

How did we get here, and what were the key moments that shaped our computerised world?