Alan Turing was: A mathematician A scientist An inspiration Alan Turing was a mathematician, scientist and codebreaker who helped defeat the Nazis in the Second World War with his incredible decoding of secret messages from enemy soldiers. Discover his life story in this beautifully illustrated book, from his childhood as a quiet boy who loved maths, to becoming one of the most important scientists and codebreakers in history. Explore other extraordinary lives: The Extraordinary Life of Stephen Hawking The Extraordinary Life of Michelle Obama The Extraordinary Life of Katherine Johnson The Extraordinary Life of Mahatma Gandhi The Extraordinary Life of Freddie Mercury The Extraordinary Life of Serena Williams The Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela

Five films from the hugely popular sci-fi franchise. In 'The Fly' (1958), a scientist (David Hedison) is obsessed with developing a molecular matter transmitter. When he attempts to test the invention himself, he is unwittingly joined by a companion - a fly that has sneaked into the transportation pod with him. The consequences of the experiment soon become clear, as the scientist begins to take on fly-like characteristics. 'Return of the Fly' (1959) sees the original scientist's son reconstructing the matter transporter which turned his father into an insect, with the young man's experiments leading him down the same insectoid path. In 'Curse of the Fly' (1965) the plot again revolves around the Delambre family, although this time it is the scientist's grandson, Henri Delambre (Brian Donlevy), who becomes obsessed with transporter experiments to the dismay of his two sons, who want to live normal lives and forget about their grandfather's invention. Henri's oldest son, Martin (George Baker), marries a young woman who just escaped from a mental hospital. After Martin's new wife discovers a closet filled with deranged humans left over from failed teleportation experiments, the police are called and Henri attempts to flee using the infamous transporter. 'The Fly' (1986) is the Oscar-winning remake of the 1958 horror classic. Scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), experimenting with transmitting matter uses himself as a guinea-pig, unaware that a fly has got into the machinery. As he embarks on a relationship with Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis), the journalist covering his project, his body slowly begins to take on fly-like characteristics. 'The Fly 2' (1989) is the sequel to the 1986 movie. Dr Seth Brundle is no more, but he has left behind a gruesome legacy: the teleportation device which transformed him into a human fly, and a son, Martin (Matthew Moore/Harley Cross). Infected with his father's insect metabolism, Martin's growth is hugely accelerated, and he is soon a fully grown man (Eric Stoltz). When he discovers the remains of his father's experiment, Martin decides to pick up where Seth left off.

Freddie Mercury was: A musician A songwriter An inspiration Farrokh Bulsara was a young boy who loved music and was known for being quiet and kind, even when people made fun of his unusual teeth. Farrokh grew up to be Freddie Mercury, an incredible musician who could command audiences with his charisma and talent, and who would one day say that those teeth were the very reason he was able to sing with such amazing range. From his childhood in Zanzibar to the formation of rock band Queen, to their record-breaking Live Aid performance, discover the journey Freddie Mercury took to becoming one of the world's most influential musicians. Explore other extraordinary lives: The Extraordinary Life of Stephen Hawking The Extraordinary Life of Michelle Obama The Extraordinary Life of Katherine Johnson The Extraordinary Life of Mahatma Gandhi The Extraordinary Life of Alan Turing The Extraordinary Life of Serena Williams The Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela

London August 1816 - "The year without summer." London is heaving with every step of society. There are the rich, living in their fine houses, their mansions and their palaces, and there are the poor, living in hovels and squalor. Pickit is 18 years old. Abandoned at birth, he was unlucky enough to be found by a woman who lived off the criminal activities of her charges and the lad only escaped her clutches after her untimely demise. Fending for himself, he managed to gain some financial security and lodgings, caretaking a warehouse. The fact that the warehouse housed illicit goods and the owner was a successful smuggler did not faze Pickit at all. Colonel James Robert Tyler. Born 1790. His Mother died when he was thirteen and his father, a successful merchant, remarried. James had to leave and make his own way in life after a series of arguments with his stepmother. He was fifteen years of age. James joined the army in 1806, when he was sixteen, and made the rank of Colonel in 1813. He survived the Battle of Waterloo after serving under Sir Arthur Wellesley, The Duke of Wellington, and returned to London. He became a wealthy man when his best friend died in the battle and left to him his entire estate. Their paths should never have crossed but fate had other ideas.