EPISODE · May 24, 2026 · 16 MIN
The Great Semicolon Heist
from Code Curiosities · host Podcaster
In 1990, a missing semicolon in a single line of code sent a $327 million spacecraft careening off course toward Venus instead of Jupiter. We dive into the Mariner 1 disaster and other tiny punctuation marks that caused million-dollar mayhem, exploring why the smallest symbols in programming can have the biggest consequences. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What this episode covers
In 1990, a missing semicolon in a single line of code sent a $327 million spacecraft careening off course toward Venus instead of Jupiter. We dive into the Mariner 1 disaster and other tiny punctuation marks that caused million-dollar mayhem, exploring why the smallest symbols in programming can have the biggest consequences.
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The Great Semicolon Heist
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