After the discussion, come see this brief theater-lobby live demonstration, using a digital simulation.
Charles Babbage invented his Difference Engine in 1821: an automatic calculating machine, complete with a printing apparatus. Though it wasn’t fully realized for 200 years, it is recognized as one of the great intellectual achievements of the 19th century – along with Babbage’s Analytical Engine, which has many essential features found in the modern computer. And the Difference Engine is the inciting event for the play, Ada and the Engine. How did it work?
Ada and the Engine by Lauren Gunderson runs at Central Square Theater, 22 September – 23 October. Tickets available here: https://www.centralsquaretheater.org/shows/ada-and-the-engine/
Cambridge Science Festival, the first of its kind in the United States, is a madcap celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). A multifaceted, multicultural event, the Festival makes science accessible, interactive, and fun, highlighting the impact of STEAM in all our lives.
Made with in Cambridge, MA, USA