Cryptology (Alternator Books ®)

Imagine having a job that has been around for thousands of years. People called cryptologists have been making-and breaking-codes almost as long as humans have written things down. Read about the historical code makers and breakers who protected their countries by coding and decoding messages for their governments, and the modern cryptologists who keep emails, texts, and online purchases secure.

Sometimes, the best hiding place is right in plain sight. Find out about steganography, the practice of concealing messages right under others' noses. See how it links with cryptology, the science of secret communication, and how the two have been used in some of history's biggest moments. Learn about invisible inks, the Cardano Grille, the use of microdots in WWI, and the butterfly maps of Lord Baden-Powell. And follow steganography into modern day with a hands-on activity and stories of hidden files and cybercrime.

Blockchain is the powerful technology behind popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Find out how blockchain helped create these digital currencies that are not controlled by banks or governments. Then read other creative uses of blockchain and the role cryptology, the science of secret communication, plays in the system. Test your own cryptology skills with a hands-on activity.

Computers and the internet forever changed how we communicate messages and other information. They also created new challenges for how we keep that communication private. That is where digital cryptology, the study of secret digital communication, comes in. Learn how professional cryptologists work to outsmart hackers and cyberterrorists trying to access private information. Then try it yourself with a hands-on digital cryptology activity!

Dive into the secret history of . . . secrets! Cryptology is the art and science of secret communication, and its purpose is to protect precious information and keep people safe. Learn about its building blocks: ciphers, codes, and keys. People have wanted to hide messages and important information for millennia. Read how history's coolest codes and ciphers have progressed from belts and sticks to rotating disks and supercomputers. Use your cryptology skills to design your own secret cipher. And learn about the smart people who built and broke the strongest secret systems.

In wartime, unbreakable codes help armies win battles. And what better code than an advanced language. The Navajo language was key to the success of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. Read how Navajo Marines risked their lives to translate secret messages during World War II. Learn what makes the Navajo language ideal for encoding messages and the special vocabulary the code talkers used in battle. Finally, try your hand at translating messages yourself.