Claude Shannon was an American mathematician and electrical engineer, often called the "father of information theory." He introduced groundbreaking concepts that helped us understand how to transmit and store information efficiently. His work laid the foundation for modern communication systems, including the internet and digital media. Shannon's famous 1948 paper, "A Mathematical Theory of Communication," explained how to measure information and how to encode it for transmission. His ideas have influenced various fields, from computer science to cryptography, making him a pivotal figure in the development of technology that shapes our daily lives today.