SuperPower: Digital Giants - Philip Emeagwali - Nigerian born internet scientist - BBC

Supercomputer scientist Philip Emeagwali speaks about how high speed data cables can connect Africa.

The Digital Giants series is part of the BBCs international news services SuperPower season, which examines how the internet has impacted on the lives of ordinary people across the globe.

Category:

Entertainment

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• BBC
• Superpower
• Digital
• Giants
• Internet
• Technology
• Global
• World
• News
• Philip
• Emeagwali
• Supercomputer

[IYQ1317]

I find all of this very exciting! Working to get Africa on more then just a physical map would be a big step to better futures, better elections, more awareness, more scientific involvement. I think all of these things would be a great step in the right direction.

[okorojnr]

Some people do not like to see any African praised for scientific findings. They think invention is the exclusive preserve of Caucasians. Invention has nothing to do with Ph.D. It is just theoretical. Most inventors had no Ph.D's. This Emeagwali guy is a computer whiz kid. Like him or not. Designing a machine that can do 3.1 billion calculations in one second is no small feat. That's why TIME magazine called him the unsung hero of the internet and CNN called him the father of the internet.

[Demov12]

@burri123 U do know hes the 3rd smartest person in the world?

[MrSivram28]

@Gaia029 hater

[burri123]

nigeria's smartest scam artist!

[Gaia029]

@Chrisofwowjr You are right. I can't believe this guy gets called "The father of the internet". This HYPE began in 1989 when he won $1000 Gordon Bell Prize (NOT the Nobel Prize). The Gordon Bell prize is just one of many other annual computing awards, respectable but not at all comparable to either the Nobel Prize or the Turing Award in prestige or prize money.

Unfortunately a lot of overestimated claims like this guy's over the years have become more exaggerated.

[TheBalhamboy]

I think this man has a vision which I hope will come; africa needs more thinkers like this

[okorojnr]

@zadeh79 Emeagwali is a math/computer genius. He was very intelligent when he was in high school in Anambra, South East Nigeria in the 70's. This guy self educated himself and passed A LEVEL exams enabling him to travel to London and later the U.S to study Math at Oregon State University. All these people trash talking him are just jealous of him. Shame unto them!

[zadeh79]

@okorojnr I agree. Knowing how to program a computer is no small feat, let alone, designing a super-computer as Emeagwali did.