The Cryptography of Orphan Annie and Captain Midnight
The main qualification for membership in (and issuance of a decoder for) Radio Orphan Annie's Secret Society and Captain Midnight's Secret Squadron involved drinking Ovaltine, a malted milk flavoring containing the vitamins and nutrients then understood to be needed by growing secret operatives, or at least to be profitable for its manufacturer (which sponsored the broadcasts). Proof of sufficient Ovaltine consumption was established by mailing in labels from Ovaltine packages.
…have a Captain Midnight decoder badge, the 1945 version with the built-in magnifying glass, because of course. And, as explained in this fascinating (but somewhat esoteric and longish — fair warning) blog post by Matt Blaze, it provided some fairly advanced security for vital Secret Squadron messages — specifically, hints about the next Captain Midnight radio episode.
Today, cryptography secures the internet, making many of its most useful functions — from high-end money transfers to your personal VPN (and Tor) — possible. If you want to know a little more about just how that gets done, dive in,
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