Introduction

In the 1940s, three fundamental theories were proposed that would profoundly influence both the natural and social sciences: system theory, information theory, and cybernetics [1]. These are collectively celebrated as the “three great theories of the twentieth century.” Information theory, in particular, systematically and scientifically introduced basic theories such as information system, information entropy, and data compression, which are crucial for information processing. As we entered the twenty-first century, with rapid advancements in computer science and materials science, the avenues for information acquisition expanded, the magnitude of information grew, and the types of information became more diverse, underscoring the increasing importance of information theory to human development. Undoubtedly, the twenty-first century is the information age.