--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the 1970s and 1980s, though…" description: "\"“In the 1970s and 1980s, though, mathematicians at Stanford and MIT made a series of breakthroughs that made it possible, for the first time, for ordin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nathaniel-popper-29380_first-time_in-the-1970s-and-1980s-though-mathematic_2252115.jpg" --- # In the 1970s and 1980s, though, mathematicians at Stanford… ![“In the 1970s and 1980s, though, mathematicians at Stanford and MIT made a series of breakthroughs that made it possible, for the first time, for ordinary people to encrypt, or scramble, messages in a way that could be decrypted only by the intended recipient and not cracked even by the most…” quote by Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nathaniel-popper-29380_first-time_in-the-1970s-and-1980s-though-mathematic_2252115.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nathaniel-popper-29380_first-time_in-the-1970s-and-1980s-though-mathematic_2252115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nathaniel-popper-29380_first-time_in-the-1970s-and-1980s-though-mathematic_2252115.jpg) > ““In the 1970s and 1980s, though, mathematicians at Stanford and MIT made a series of breakthroughs that made it possible, for the first time, for ordinary people to encrypt, or scramble, messages in a way that could be decrypted only by the intended recipient and not cracked even by the most powerful supercomputers. Every”” [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Breakthroughs at Stanford and MIT enabled everyday people to encrypt messages securely, even against powerful computers. **In simple terms:** People can now protect privacy with strong encryption. Key Takeaway Use strong encryption to safeguard data. Themes privacy technology security Mood cautious empowered Type informational technical When to use this quote - online banking - personal messaging - activist communication - journalistic sourcing Key Concepts cryptography public key encryption information theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your encryption keys? - What risks remain despite strong encryption? A Different Perspective Encryption alone cannot guarantee security if keys are mishandled. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breakthroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthroughs/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) ## Related quotes > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [“Breakdowns create breakthroughs. Breakthroughs create more breakthroughs. More breakthroughs create friction because idiots be jealous or don’t get it or protect their little corner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/breakdowns-create-breakthroughs-breakthroughs-create-more/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [Big breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets what is desperately needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/big-breakthroughs-happen-when-what-is-suddenly-possible-meets-what-is/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Breakthroughs come from crazy ideas, taking risks, optimism, doing whatever it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/breakthroughs-come-from-crazy-ideas-taking-risks-optimism-doing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Where there is faith, breakthroughs are plenty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/where-there-is-faith-breakthroughs-are-plenty/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [There are no drive-thru breakthroughs. Breakthroughs take time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/there-are-no-drive-thru-breakthroughs-breakthroughs-take-time/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [We can be creative and generate new breakthroughs, if we're willing to work with ideas from the pool of history - both distant and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-dawson/we-can-be-creative-and-generate-new-breakthroughs-if-we-re-willing-to/) [Doug Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-dawson/) > [Let's drive not just breakthroughs in new products, but new ways to give more and more people access to these inventions and their benefits.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/let-s-drive-not-just-breakthroughs-in-new-products-but-new-ways-to/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Historic changes and challenges. Breakthroughs in human knowledge and opportunity. And yet, for vast numbers across the globe, the daily realities have not altered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/historic-changes-and-challenges-breakthroughs-in-human-knowledge-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“O Lord, I desire breakthroughs concerning . . . this month, in the name of Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-k-olukoya/o-lord-i-desire-breakthroughs-concerning-this-month-in-the-name-of/) [D.K. Olukoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-k-olukoya/) > [We have a lot to gain through furthering stem cell research, but medical breakthroughs should be fundamentally about saving, not destroying, human life. Therefore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/we-have-a-lot-to-gain-through-furthering-stem-cell-research-but/) [Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/) > [“We all have a choice – to sink or swim when the going gets tough. Sometimes the most hurtful experiences can open the doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-jane-rose/we-all-have-a-choice-to-sink-or-swim-when-the-going-gets-tough/) [Helen Jane Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-jane-rose/) > [“Some chains will never be broken, until you brake them through prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/some-chains-will-never-be-broken-until-you-brake-them-through-prayer/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [“...it's the prayers you pray when you feel like you want to quit praying that can bring the biggest breakthroughs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/it-s-the-prayers-you-pray-when-you-feel-like-you-want-to-quit-praying/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [“Breakthroughs happen when truth intersects with infinite possibilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hamilton-guarino/breakthroughs-happen-when-truth-intersects-with-infinite-possibilities/) [Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hamilton-guarino/) ## More by Nathaniel Popper > [“For security, Satoshi relied on uncrackable mathematical formulas rather than armed guards. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/for-security-satoshi-relied-on-uncrackable-mathematical-formulas/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“Occupy Wall Street and the Free State Project were ostensibly leaderless organizations that eschewed new power hierarchies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/occupy-wall-street-and-the-free-state-project-were-ostensibly/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“Erik argued that it was the very virtual nature of Bitcoin that made it so valuable. Unlike gold, it could be easily and quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/erik-argued-that-it-was-the-very-virtual-nature-of-bitcoin-that-made/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“I’m pretty confident that Bitcoin is the most important invention since the Internet itself. The world is changing because of Bitcoin right in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/i-m-pretty-confident-that-bitcoin-is-the-most-important-invention/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“Ross himself had gained the expertise to build his government-eluding site after attending one of the best-funded public high schools in Texas and two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/ross-himself-had-gained-the-expertise-to-build-his-government-eluding/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“The only occasional gripe was about the volatile price of Bitcoin, which made it hard to know how much a vendor would be charging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/the-only-occasional-gripe-was-about-the-volatile-price-of-bitcoin/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“Tor network that served as a backbone of Silk Road had been created by the Office of Naval Intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/tor-network-that-served-as-a-backbone-of-silk-road-had-been-created/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“If there was ever a time that Silicon Valley believed it could revive the long-deferred dream of reinventing money, this was it. A virtual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/if-there-was-ever-a-time-that-silicon-valley-believed-it-could-revive/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“From the beginning, Satoshi envisioned a digital analog to old-fashioned gold: a new kind of universal money that could be owned by everyone and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/from-the-beginning-satoshi-envisioned-a-digital-analog-to-old/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“gosh I can’t sleep ! I keep thinking about this great stuff. To me Bitcoin is the ‘cyberspace gold.’ I’m just amazed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/gosh-i-can-t-sleep-i-keep-thinking-about-this-great-stuff-to-me/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“Japan was the only place Roger had encountered where people’s response, when he described Bitcoin, was to call it scary—rather than interesting or silly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/japan-was-the-only-place-roger-had-encountered-where-people-s/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“In the very first recorded transaction of Bitcoin for United States dollars, Martti sent NewLibertyStandard 5,050 Bitcoins to use for seeding the new exchange.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/in-the-very-first-recorded-transaction-of-bitcoin-for-united-states/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“Satoshi Nakamoto, or whoever could prove ownership of Satoshi’s public key: DE4E FCA3 E1AB 9E41 CE96 CECB 18C0 9E86 5EC9 48A1.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/satoshi-nakamoto-or-whoever-could-prove-ownership-of-satoshi-s-public/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“Meanwhile, a month after the Bitcoin conference, protesters took over Zuccotti Park in Manhattan and began what became known as Occupy Wall Street, taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/meanwhile-a-month-after-the-bitcoin-conference-protesters-took-over/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) > [“The root problem with conventional currency is all the trust that’s required to make it work,” Satoshi wrote. “The central bank must be trusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-popper/the-root-problem-with-conventional-currency-is-all-the-trust-that-s/) [Nathaniel Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) [Explore all 18 Nathaniel Popper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-popper/) ## More Breakthroughs quotes > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [“O Lord, I desire breakthroughs concerning . . . this month, in the name of Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-k-olukoya/o-lord-i-desire-breakthroughs-concerning-this-month-in-the-name-of/) [D.K. Olukoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-k-olukoya/) > [Historic changes and challenges. Breakthroughs in human knowledge and opportunity. And yet, for vast numbers across the globe, the daily realities have not altered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/historic-changes-and-challenges-breakthroughs-in-human-knowledge-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have a lot to gain through furthering stem cell research, but medical breakthroughs should be fundamentally about saving, not destroying, human life. Therefore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/we-have-a-lot-to-gain-through-furthering-stem-cell-research-but/) [Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/) > [Let's drive not just breakthroughs in new products, but new ways to give more and more people access to these inventions and their benefits.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/let-s-drive-not-just-breakthroughs-in-new-products-but-new-ways-to/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We can be creative and generate new breakthroughs, if we're willing to work with ideas from the pool of history - both distant and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-dawson/we-can-be-creative-and-generate-new-breakthroughs-if-we-re-willing-to/) [Doug Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-dawson/) > [There are no drive-thru breakthroughs. Breakthroughs take time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/there-are-no-drive-thru-breakthroughs-breakthroughs-take-time/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“Where there is faith, breakthroughs are plenty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/where-there-is-faith-breakthroughs-are-plenty/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [Breakthroughs come from crazy ideas, taking risks, optimism, doing whatever it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/breakthroughs-come-from-crazy-ideas-taking-risks-optimism-doing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We all have a choice – to sink or swim when the going gets tough. Sometimes the most hurtful experiences can open the doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-jane-rose/we-all-have-a-choice-to-sink-or-swim-when-the-going-gets-tough/) [Helen Jane Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-jane-rose/) > [“Some chains will never be broken, until you brake them through prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/some-chains-will-never-be-broken-until-you-brake-them-through-prayer/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [Big breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets what is desperately needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/big-breakthroughs-happen-when-what-is-suddenly-possible-meets-what-is/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [“...it's the prayers you pray when you feel like you want to quit praying that can bring the biggest breakthroughs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/it-s-the-prayers-you-pray-when-you-feel-like-you-want-to-quit-praying/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [“Breakdowns create breakthroughs. Breakthroughs create more breakthroughs. More breakthroughs create friction because idiots be jealous or don’t get it or protect their little corner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/breakdowns-create-breakthroughs-breakthroughs-create-more/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [“Breakthroughs happen when truth intersects with infinite possibilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hamilton-guarino/breakthroughs-happen-when-truth-intersects-with-infinite-possibilities/) [Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hamilton-guarino/) [Browse all 125 Breakthroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthroughs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the 1970s and 1980s, though, mathematicians at Stanford and MIT made a series of breakthroughs that made it possible, for the first time, for ordinary people to encrypt, or scramble, messages in a way that could be decrypted only by the intended recipient and not cracked even by the most powerful supercomputers. 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