1452 – 1519

It is something of an indulgence to include Leonardo Da Vinci in any study of scientists who changed the world, not least because most of his work remained unpublished and largely forgotten centuries after his death. His, however, was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant scientific minds of all time; arguably the biggest handicap preventing him from profoundly changing the world was the era in which he lived.

The genius of Leonardo’s designs for his inventions so far outstripped both his contemporaries’ intellectual grasp and contemporary technology that they were rendered literally inconceivable to anyone but him. If Leonardo could have teleported to Edison’s time, with his access to nineteenth century technology, one can only speculate how much more he may or may not have achieved than even Edison himself. But even in his own time, Leonardo’s achievements were notable:

. RENAISSANCE MAN

Leonardo is celebrated as the Renaissance artist who created such masterpieces as the Last Supper (1495 – 97) and the Mona Lisa (1503 – 06), yet much of his time was spent in scientific enquiry, often to the detriment of his art. The range of areas Leonardo examined was breathtaking. It included astronomy, geography, palaeontology, geology, botany, zoology, hydrodynamics, optics, aerodynamics and anatomy. In the later field, in particular, he undertook a number of human dissections, largely on stolen corpses, to make detailed sketches of the body. Irrespective of the breadth of his studies, however, perhaps the most important contribution Leonardo made to science was the method of his enquiry, introducing a rational, systematic approach to the study of nature after a thousand years of superstition. He would begin by setting himself straightforward scientific queries such as ‘How does a bird fly?’ Next, he would observe his subject in its natural environment, make notes on its behaviour, then repeat the observation over and over to ensure accuracy, before making sketches and ultimately drawing conclusions.

. AERODYNAMICS

Moreover, in many instances he could then directly apply the results of his enquiries into nature to designs for inventions for human use. For example, his work in aerodynamics led him to make sketches for several flying machines – which, potentially, could have flown – including a primitive helicopter, some five hundred years before the invention became a reality. He even envisaged the need for his flying machines to have a retractable landing gear to improve their aerodynamics once airborne. In 1485 he designed a parachute, three hundred years before becoming an actuality, and included calculations for the necessary size of material to safely bring to ground an object with the same weight as a human. He also had an excellent understanding of the workings of levers and gears, enabling him to design bicycles and cranes.

. HYDRODYNAMICS

Leonardo’s studies in hydrodynamics led to numerous sketches on designs for waterwheels and water-powered machines centuries before the industrial revolution. In addition, he sketched humidity-measuring equipment as well as a number of primitive diving suits, mostly with long snorkel devices to provide a supply of air.

. MILITARY INVENTIONS

During his work for the Duke of Milan between 1482 and 1499, Leonardo prepared an array of designs for weaponry such as catapults and missiles. Even in this arena, however, he could not help but create sketches of weapons that lay way ahead of their time such as hand-grenades, mortars, machine-type guns, a primitive tank and, most audaciously, a submarine.

Leonardo’s Influence

Any list of scientists ‘who could’ have changed the world, then Leonardo Da Vinci would surely be at the top of the list. But although many of the designs for his potentially world-changing creations were never published, his methodical approach to science marks a significant and symbolic stepping-stone from the Dark Ages into the modern era.

Hoping to secure employment with the Duke of Milan, he wrote to him that his areas of expertise included: the construction of bridges and irrigation canals, the designing of military weapons and architecture, as well as painting and sculpture. To add to the list, Leonardo is also credited with being the first ever person to conceive of a bicycle.

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Supplementary appendage:

Leonardo Da Vinci painting: The Mona Lisa. An oil painting by the Italian Renaissance artist which was created in 1503.