ALGOL 58 is a programming language developed in 1958 as a revision of the earlier ALGOL 60. It was created by a committee of computer scientists to provide a standardized way to express algorithms. The language introduced key concepts such as block structure and the use of formal syntax, which influenced many future programming languages. Although ALGOL 58 was not widely adopted, it laid the groundwork for later versions, particularly ALGOL 60, which became more popular. Its design principles and features have had a lasting impact on programming languages, shaping the development of languages like Pascal and C.