Photo 121 #366photos: Babbage's brain

14 May 2012

I went for a lunchtime jaunt to see some Henry Moore sculptures at the Science Museum. I loved the bronze and string, Stringed Ball (an edition of seven - I would be very happy to receive any one of the seven).

Whilst in the Mathematics gallery, I got distracted by Charles Babbage's brain in a jar. Well, half of his brain, the other half is in the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons. I think it was the combination of the brain and the portrait photo, with eyes that seem to follow you, that intrigued me.

Charles Babbage is considered the 'father of the computer'. From the descriptions, he sounded like a genius I'd like to meet. He tried to fund his 'invention' by writing novels or creating a package that enabled people to play noughts and crosses. I wonder how much money there was in either venture!