Lincoln City's new shirt honours mathematician George Boole

Lincoln City football kit features coded message

1 hour ago Share Save Shirley Henry BBC News Share Save

Lincoln City Football Club A black line of binary numbers features on Lincoln City's latest home shirt

Lincoln City's new home kit honours a Victorian mathematician whose work is in every computer and smartphone. George Boole, who was born in the city in 1815, invented Boolean logic - a system that is regarded as the foundation for computer programming. In a tribute to the pioneering mathematician, binary code spelling out We Are Imps will feature on the football club's shirt for the upcoming season. City's chief growth and innovation officer Jason Futers said: "We wanted to celebrate George, his life and contribution to the world, by bringing it into the design of the home kit."

Getty Images George Boole invented Boolean logic, a system that is still used in computers and smartphones to this day

In 1849, the shoemaker's son was appointed chair of mathematics at Queen's College in Cork in the Republic of Ireland. Four years later, he secured his place in the history books after publishing the Laws of Thought, a book containing a description of practical concepts for an algebra of logic. The former teacher, who founded two schools, is commemorated throughout his home city. He is featured on a window inside the city's cathedral known as the teaching window and there is also a plaque on his Pottergate house. There is also a mention on an obelisk to city greats in St Mark's Shopping Centre and a large bronze statue outside Lincoln railway station. "He created a logical framework called Boolean logic, that is literally the foundation for binary code, which is itself the foundation for computer programming," Mr Futers added. "You can't underestimate the importance of Boole in modern society."

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

Click here to read article