Page 1 of 1
Two Centuries On, a Cryptologist Cracks a Presidential Code
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 1:57 pm
by Rocketfan
For more than 200 years, buried deep within Thomas Jefferson's correspondence and papers, there lay a mysterious cipher -- a coded message that appears to have remained unsolved. Until now.
The cryptic message was sent to President Jefferson in December 1801 by his friend and frequent correspondent, Robert Patterson, a mathematics professor at the University of Pennsylvania. President Jefferson and Mr. Patterson were both officials at the American Philosophical Society -- a group that promoted scholarly research in the sciences and humanities -- and were enthusiasts of ciphers and other codes, regularly exchanging letters about them.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1246484 ... =yhoofront
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 2:13 pm
by LUconn
Maybe this dude can find the treasure in Bedford. Do you know this guy HMO?
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 2:26 pm
by RubberMallet
maybe he will clear the Gate's name once and for all!
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 5:14 pm
by adam42381
Pretty impressive. Send him to Bedford then to Oak Island.
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 5:38 pm
by RubberMallet
they still haven't figured out oak island?
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 5:45 pm
by Liberty4Life
Up next, cracking the code in front of the CIA building.
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 6:05 pm
by Hold My Own
LUconn wrote:Maybe this dude can find the treasure in Bedford. Do you know this guy HMO?
I do not, however I am confident that I know someone who knows him...I will tap into my resources.
I tried reading that article but I got about half way through and between being bored and confused I gave up....I couldnt understand this thing to save my life. Anyone care to do the Cliff notes?
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 8:17 pm
by adam42381
RubberMallet wrote:they still haven't figured out oak island?
They're supposed to begin a new dig there this year. I've been fascinated by the whole thing for a while.
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 8:27 pm
by ATrain
What the heck is on Oak Island?
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 9:10 pm
by Kolzilla41
I have googled Oak Island and Bedford and not found anything regarding treasure. Can you guys fill me in?
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 9:25 pm
by El Scorcho
Fun coincidence, for me: I'm reading this on the day I set up LU's first cryptographic services.
Good read. Thanks for sharing.
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 11:08 pm
by RubberMallet
adam42381 wrote:RubberMallet wrote:they still haven't figured out oak island?
They're supposed to begin a new dig there this year. I've been fascinated by the whole thing for a while.
i did a paper on it in highschool.
i have family in novascotia and i'm hoping to visit one day.
Posted: July 3rd, 2009, 7:39 am
by Cider Jim
Bedford County is supposed to be the home of the Beale Treasure:
Sometime between 1819 and 1821, Thomas Jefferson Beale is said to have buried a vat of gold, silver and jewels somewhere near the present-day Bedford County town of Montvale. The loot was conservatively estimated in 1993 to be worth $20 million.
Beale left behind three coded messages: The first told the exact location of the treasure; the second told the contents; the third told who owned the treasure. It is said that only the second code has been broken.
http://www.bealetreasure.net/
Posted: July 3rd, 2009, 11:12 am
by ATrain
RubberMallet wrote:adam42381 wrote:RubberMallet wrote:they still haven't figured out oak island?
They're supposed to begin a new dig there this year. I've been fascinated by the whole thing for a while.
i did a paper on it in highschool.
i have family in novascotia and i'm hoping to visit one day.
Ok...but whats on there?
Posted: July 3rd, 2009, 9:30 pm
by adam42381
ATrain wrote:RubberMallet wrote:adam42381 wrote:
They're supposed to begin a new dig there this year. I've been fascinated by the whole thing for a while.
i did a paper on it in highschool.
i have family in novascotia and i'm hoping to visit one day.
Ok...but whats on there?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Island
http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/