Cryptology (SECRET CODES) with Simon Singh

Cryptology (SECRET CODES) with Simon Singh

Secret ciphers. Hidden treasure. Enigma breakers. Mysterious manuscripts. And … hog Latin. Cryptology expert and author of “The Code Book,” Simon Singh finally lets me ask him about the small mistakes that lost huge battles, the prison plots of Mary Queen of Scots, a cryptology reality show that I wish existed, the legacy of Alan Turing, Indigenous code-talking war heroes, hiding messages in your skin and guts, the role of A.I. in future deciphering and the possibility of a quantum computing apocalypse. Also: one whole ball of wax that you do not want to get into.

Visit Dr. Singh’s website and follow him on Bluesky and X

Browse Dr. Singh’s books including The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography, available on Bookshop.org and Amazon

A donation went to GiveWell

More episode sources and links

Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Other episodes you may enjoy: Egyptology (ANCIENT EGYPT), Momiology (MUMMIFICATION), Curiology (EMOJI), Graphology (HANDWRITING/FORGERY), Anagnosology (READING), Oneirology (DREAMS), Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES), Architectural Technology (COMPUTER PROGRAMMING), Neurotechnology (AI + BRAIN TECH), Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?), Abstract Mathematology (UH, IS MATH REAL?)

Sponsors of Ologies

Transcripts and bleeped episodes

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!

Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee

Managing Director: Susan Hale

Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

Transcripts by Aveline Malek

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(497)

Culcitology (QUILTS) with Luke Haynes, Olivia Joseph, and Joe Cunningham

Culcitology (QUILTS) with Luke Haynes, Olivia Joseph, and Joe Cunningham

Scrap quilts. Sewing bees. Secret codes. Political activism. Controversies. Three of your new favorite Culcitologists – Olivia Joseph, Luke Haynes, and Joe Cunningham – are stitched together for one m...

26 Feb 1h 46min

Zoohoplology (ANIMAL DEFENSES) with Ted Stankowich

Zoohoplology (ANIMAL DEFENSES) with Ted Stankowich

Barbs. Spurs. Stinks. Scutes. Shrieks. Fashion. Drama. Animal behaviorist, evolutionary biologist, Cal State Long Beach professor, and your new favorite Zoohoplologist, Dr. Ted Stankowich, divulges ab...

19 Feb 1h 11min

Bonus Episode: ICYMI Moments of 2025 with newly beloved Ologists

Bonus Episode: ICYMI Moments of 2025 with newly beloved Ologists

In case you missed it, ICYMI stands for In Case Y’all Missed It. And while 2025 was a weird year (not as weird as 2026!) it was filled with some favorite new Ologists and episodes. So since things hav...

17 Feb 51min

Venereology (SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS) with Ina Park

Venereology (SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS) with Ina Park

You’ve got junk, and we have info. The charming and hilarious researcher, professor, sex-positive health advocate, and author of the science book “Strange Bedfellows,” Dr. Ina Park, joins to talk abou...

11 Feb 1h 26min

Genealogy (FAMILY TREES) Encore with Stephen Hanks

Genealogy (FAMILY TREES) Encore with Stephen Hanks

Histories, mysteries, memories and families: it’s time to clamber up our ancestral trees. Author and genealogist Stephen Hanks -- who teaches genealogy classes in Portland, Oregon and has contributed ...

4 Feb 1h 8min

Asinology (DONKEYS) with Faith Burden

Asinology (DONKEYS) with Faith Burden

Tall ears. Huge teeth. Underestimated wit. And vocalizations that would make a songbird envious. Let’s talk donkeys with researcher and Director at The Donkey Sanctuary, Asinologist Dr. Faith Burden. ...

28 Jan 1h 15min

Paleohistology (WHY TEETH EXIST) with Yara Haridy

Paleohistology (WHY TEETH EXIST) with Yara Haridy

Excuse me, why do you have teeth? How did they get in your mouth and where did they come from? Let’s ask researcher, tooth enthusiast, and Paleohistologist Dr. Yara Haridy.  She opened up the archives...

21 Jan 1h 24min

Marmotology (GROUNDHOGS) with Daniel Blumstein

Marmotology (GROUNDHOGS) with Daniel Blumstein

Tongue twisters. Frosty holidays. Scandals. Big ol’ rodent butts. Let’s talk groundhogs with UCLA conservationist, field biologist, professor and Marmotologist, Dr. Daniel Blumstein. We cover what bro...

14 Jan 1h 15min

Populært innen Humor

rss-spartsklubben
papaya
enkel-servering
storefri-med-mikkel-og-herman
harm-og-hegseth
tusvik-tnne
folk-flest-med-linn-og-nils
tore-og-haralds-podkast
topp-3-med-wold-og-fladseth
ma-pa-behandling-med-morten-ramm
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
misjonen-med-antonsen-og-golden
rss-snorre-med-gaute
wolfgang-wee-uncut
hanna-de-heldige
jan-thomas-og-einar-blir-venner
verdens-verste
rss-det-alle-snakker-om-med-siri-og-kim
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen