Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci in good quality. Famous inventions of Leonardo da Vinci

Painter, sculptor, architect, anatomist, natural scientist, inventor, engineer, writer, thinker, musician, poet.

If you list only these areas of application of talent, without naming the name of the person to whom they relate, anyone will say: Leonardo da Vinci. We will consider only one of the facets of the personality of the “great Leonardo” and talk about his technical inventions.

Da Vinci was a famous figure of his time, but real fame came many centuries after his death. Only at the end of the 19th century were the scientist’s theoretical notes published for the first time. They contained descriptions of strange and mysterious devices for their time. During the Renaissance, da Vinci could hardly count on the quick implementation of all his inventions. The main obstacle to their implementation was the insufficient technical level. But in the 20th century, almost all the devices described in his works became a reality. This suggests that the “Italian Faust” was not only a talented inventor, but also a person who was able to anticipate technological progress. Of course, this was facilitated by Leonardo's deep knowledge.

The scientist systematized his developments, creating so-called “codes” - books containing records about certain aspects of science and technology. There is, for example, the “Leicester Code”, in which you can find descriptions of various natural phenomena, as well as mathematical calculations.

It is noteworthy that da Vinci’s notes are made in the so-called “mirror” font. All letters are written from right to left and rotated vertically. They can only be read using a mirror. There are still ongoing debates about why the scientist needed to keep records in this way. Rumor has it that this is how he intended to keep his works secret.

No technical invention evokes such awe and admiration as a flying car. That is why special attention has always been focused on da Vinci’s flying machines. The inventor always dreamed of the idea of ​​aeronautics. Birds became the source of inspiration for the scientist. Leonardo tried to create a wing for an aircraft in the image and likeness of bird wings. One of the devices he developed was driven by movable wings, which were raised and lowered by the pilot's rotation of the pedals. The pilot himself was positioned horizontally (lying down).

Another version of the flying machine involved using not only the legs, but also the arms of the aeronaut for movement. Experiments with the “bird” wing did not have practical success, and soon the inventor moved on to the idea of ​​gliding flight. This is how the hang glider prototype appeared. By the way, in 2002, British testers proved the correctness of the da Vinci hang glider concept. Using a device built according to the master’s drawings, world hang gliding champion Judy Liden was able to rise to a height of ten meters and stay in the air for seventeen seconds.

Of no less interest is the aircraft developed by da Vinci with a main rotor. Nowadays, many consider this machine to be the prototype of a modern helicopter. Although the device looks more like a gyroplane rather than a helicopter. The screw, made of fine flax, had to be driven by four people. The helicopter was one of the first flying machines proposed by da Vinci. Perhaps that is why he had a number of serious shortcomings that would never have allowed him to take off. For example, the strength of four people was clearly not enough to create the thrust necessary for takeoff.

But the parachute was one of the simplest developments of the genius. But this does not at all detract from the significance of the invention. According to Leonardo's idea, the parachute was supposed to have a pyramidal shape, and its structure was supposed to be covered with fabric. In our time, testers have proven that da Vinci's parachute concept can be considered correct. In 2008, Swiss Olivier Tepp successfully landed using a pyramid-shaped tent. True, for this the parachute had to be made from modern materials.

Leonardo da Vinci was the illegitimate (illegitimate) son of the Tuscan notary Piero da Vinci. His mother was a simple peasant woman. Subsequently, Leonardo's father married a girl from a noble family. Since this marriage turned out to be childless, he soon took his son to him.

It is believed that da Vinci was a vegetarian. The following words are attributed to him: “If a person strives for freedom, why does he keep birds and animals in cages?.. Man is truly the king of animals, because he cruelly exterminates them. We live by killing others. We are walking cemeteries! I gave up meat at an early age.”

Automobile

When you get acquainted with the works of da Vinci, you begin to understand why small Italy became the birthplace of legendary automobile brands. Back in the 15th century, an Italian inventor was able to sketch a “self-propelled carriage”, which became the prototype of modern cars. The cart developed by Leonardo had no driver and was driven by a spring mechanism.

Although the latter is just an assumption of modern scientists. It is not known for certain how exactly the master intended to move his invention forward. We also don’t know what the first car should have looked like. Leonardo paid the main attention not to the appearance of the structure, but to the technical characteristics. The cart was three-wheeled, like a children's bicycle. The rear wheels rotated independently of each other.

In 2004, Italian researchers managed to not only build a car designed by da Vinci, but also make it move! Scientist Carlo Pedretti managed to unravel the main mystery of Leonardo da Vinci's carriage, namely, the principle of movement. The researcher suggested that the car should have been driven not by springs, but by special springs, which were located at the bottom of the structure.

Tank

Bestialissima pazzia (translated from Italian as “animal madness”) - this is precisely the unflattering epithet that the “titanium of the Renaissance” awarded the war. In his notes, da Vinci mentioned that he hated war and killing machines. Paradoxically, this did not stop him from developing new military equipment.

We should not forget that Leonardo did not live in peacetime. Italian cities had a difficult relationship with each other, and there was also the threat of French intervention. By the end of the 15th century, da Vinci had become a famous and respected military specialist. He presented his numerous military developments in a letter written to the Duke of Sforza in Milan.

One of the scientist’s most exciting ideas was... a tank. However, it would be much more correct to call Leonardo’s design a distant prototype of armored vehicles of the 20th century. This structure had a round shape and looked like a turtle, bristling with tools on all sides. The inventor hoped to solve the problem of movement with the help of horses. However, this idea was quickly abandoned: in a confined space the animals could become uncontrollable.

Instead, the “engine” of such a tank would have to be eight people who would turn levers connected to the wheels, and thus move the combat vehicle forward. Another crew member had to be at the top of the device and indicate the direction of movement. Interestingly, the design of the armored vehicle allowed it to move only forward. As you might guess, at that time the tank concept had little chance of being realized.

A tank will become a truly effective weapon only when a suitable internal combustion engine can be created. Da Vinci’s main merit was that he managed to lift the curtain of history and look many centuries ahead.

Leonardo da Vinci was a truly versatile person. The inventor played the lyre beautifully and appeared in the records of the Milan court as a musician. Da Vinci was also interested in cooking. For thirteen years, the organization of court feasts rested on his shoulders. He developed several useful devices especially for cooks.

Chariot - scythe

Another very original and at the same time creepy invention of the genius of the Renaissance dates back to 1485. It received the simple name “chariot-scythe”. This chariot was a horse cart equipped with rotating scythes. The design does not at all claim to be the invention of the century. This invention was also not destined to come to fruition. On the other hand, the war chariot demonstrates the breadth of thought of da Vinci as a military specialist.

Machine gun

One of da Vinci's most famous inventions, ahead of its time, is considered to be a machine gun. Although it would be more correct to call Leonardo’s design a multi-barreled gun. Da Vinci had several designs for multiple rocket launchers. His most famous invention in this field is the so-called “musket in the shape of an organ pipe.” The design had a rotating platform on which three rows of muskets (arquebuses) with eleven barrels were placed.

The da Vinci machine gun could only fire three shots before reloading, but they would be enough to kill a large number of enemy soldiers. The main disadvantage of the design was that such a machine gun is extremely difficult to reload, especially in combat conditions. Another version of a multi-barreled gun involved the arrangement of a large number of muskets in a fan-like arrangement. The gun barrels were directed in different directions, increasing the radius of destruction. Like the previous development, the “fan” gun was supposed to be equipped with wheels to increase mobility.

Cannonballs and "mobile" bridges

Perhaps da Vinci's most insightful invention was the keel-shaped cannonball. Such cannonballs were shaped like artillery shells of the 20th century. This development was many centuries ahead of its time. It demonstrates the scientist's deep understanding of the laws of aerodynamics.

An invention called the “rotating bridge” was of great value for its time. This bridge became the prototype of modern mobile mechanized bridges designed for quickly crossing troops from one bank to another. The Da Vinci Bridge was solid and attached to one bank. After installing the bridge, it was supposed to turn it to the opposite bank using ropes.

"Vitruvian Man" is one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous drawings. The drawing is notable for its detailed recreation of the proportions of the human body. It simultaneously arouses scientific and cultural interest. It is noteworthy that long before the image of da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man”, a similar drawing was made by the Italian scientist Mariano Taccola. True, the image of Taccola was only an undeveloped sketch.

The Sforza dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Milan during the Renaissance. The first Duke of Milan was Francesco Sforza, who reigned until 1466. In 1480, the talented cultural figure Lodovico Sforza became Duke of Milan. During his reign, the most capable artists and scientists of their time were invited to the court. One of them was Leonardo da Vinci.

"Mona Lisa" (La Gioconda) is perhaps the most mysterious example of painting in the world. The picture still raises many questions. So, it is not known for certain who exactly da Vinci depicted on his canvas. It is believed that the painting depicts the noble Florentine Lisa Gherardini. One of the most incredible theories is that the painting is a self-portrait of da Vinci himself.

Diving suit

Yes, yes, its invention is also attributed to da Vinci. The diving suit was made of leather and equipped with glass lenses. The diver could breathe using reed tubes. The scientist proposed the concept of a diving suit to repel the threat posed by the Turkish fleet. According to the idea, the divers were supposed to dive to the bottom and wait for the arrival of enemy ships.

When enemy ships appeared above the water, the divers had to commit sabotage and send the ships to the bottom. It was not destined to prove the correctness of this concept. Venice was able to resist the Turkish fleet without the help of saboteurs. By the way, the world’s first squad of combat swimmers appeared in Italy, but this happened only in 1941. The very design of the spacesuit, presented by da Vinci, can be considered innovative.

Submarine, mine, gun parts

Leonardo da Vinci's recordings have survived to this day, in which one can clearly see the prototype of a submarine. But there is very little information about her. Most likely, on the surface the ship could move using sails. Underwater, the ship had to move using oar power.

To destroy enemy ships, da Vinci designed a special underwater mine. According to the inventor's plan, such a mine could be delivered to the side of an enemy ship by saboteur divers or a submarine. This idea was first implemented only in the second half of the 19th century, during the American Civil War.

Despite the abundance of inventions, only one of them brought da Vinci fame during his lifetime. We are talking about a wheel lock for a pistol. In the 16th century, this development gave rise to a real technological boom. The design turned out to be so successful that it was used until the 19th century.

All of the above is not a complete list of da Vinci’s inventions. In addition to these developments, among the master’s ideas were: a bearing, a mechanical ladder, a rapid-fire crossbow, a steam weapon, a ship with a double bottom, and much more.

Ideal city

If history had taken a different path, the small Italian town of Vigevano near Milan could have become a real wonder of the world. It was there that Leonardo da Vinci intended to realize his most ambitious idea - the ideal city. Da Vinci's project is reminiscent of a high-tech city of the future from literary works of science fiction. Or a utopia generated by the wild imagination of a writer.

The main feature of such a city was that it consisted of several tiers, connected by stairs and passages. As you might guess, the upper tier was intended for the upper strata of society. The lower one was allocated for trade and services. The most important elements of transport infrastructure were also located there. The city was to become not only the greatest architectural achievement of the time, but also to embody many technical innovations. However, the project should not be perceived as a manifestation of soulless technocracy. Da Vinci paid a lot of attention to the comfort of the city's inhabitants. Practicality and hygiene were paramount. The scientist decided to abandon narrow medieval streets in favor of spacious roads and squares.

One of the key aspects of the concept was the widespread use of water channels. Using a complex hydraulic system, water had to be supplied to every city building. Da Vinci believed that in this way it would be possible to eliminate unsanitary conditions and reduce the spread of disease to a minimum.

Having familiarized himself with the scientist’s concept, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza considered the idea too adventurous. At the end of his life, Leonardo presented the same project to the French king Francis I. The scientist proposed to make the city the capital of the monarch, but the project remained on paper.

One of da Vinci's interests was anatomy. It is known that the master dismembered many corpses, trying to understand the mysteries of human anatomy. Most of all, the scientist was interested in the structure of muscles. Leonardo da Vinci wanted to understand the principle of human movement. He left behind many anatomical records.

Genius or plagiarist?

As you know, history develops in a spiral. Many inventions were born long before their development was appropriated by other inventors. Probably Leonardo da Vinci is no exception either. We should not forget that da Vinci had access to the scientific heritage of ancient civilization. In addition, da Vinci lived surrounded by the best minds of his time. He had the opportunity to communicate with outstanding figures of science and culture. The scientist could adopt many ideas from his colleagues.

Artist and engineer Mariano Taccola is a forgotten genius of the Renaissance. He died in 1453 (da Vinci was born in 1452). Unlike da Vinci, Mariano Taccola did not receive recognition during his life and did not gain worldwide fame after it. Meanwhile, many of Taccola's developments were continued in the works of da Vinci. It is known that Leonardo was familiar with the works of Francesco di Giorgio, which, in turn, were based on the ideas of Taccola. For example, in di Giorgio's manuscripts da Vinci had the opportunity to become familiar with Taccola's concept of a diving suit.

It would be a mistake to consider da Vinci the inventor of flying machines. In the 11th century, the monk Aylmer of Malmesbury lived in England. Possessing a wide knowledge of mathematics, he built a primitive hang glider and even made a short flight on it. It is known that Aylmer managed to fly more than two hundred meters.

There is a high probability that Leonardo also borrowed the helicopter concept. But already from the Chinese. In the 15th century, traders from China brought toys that resembled mini-helicopters to Europe. A similar point of view is shared by the British historian Gavin Menzies, who believes that da Vinci adopted his most famous inventions from the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom. Menzies claims that in 1430 a Chinese delegation visited Venice, passing on to the Venetians many of the developments of Chinese scientists.

Be that as it may, Leonardo da Vinci always remains for us one of the greatest inventors of all times. Many ideas came to life thanks to Leonardo. The scientist improved various inventions and, more importantly, was able to make them visual. Do not forget that Leonardo da Vinci was a talented artist.

The master left many sketches for his developments. And even if the ideas attributed to da Vinci do not belong to him, it cannot be denied that the scientist was able to systematize a huge layer of knowledge, conveying this knowledge to his descendants.

It may seem simply incredible, but many of the modern inventions that people actively use today saw the light of day thanks to Leonardo da Vinci. It was he who, back in the 15th century, laid the foundation for robotics and palentology, invented a helicopter, contact lenses and much more. In our review of 15 things, the appearance of which humanity owes to the great Leonardo.

1. Paleontology is a science created by da Vinci

Leonardo may have been the first person to record the discovery of a rare fossil called "paleodictyon", which looks like a hexagonal fossilized honeycomb. Even today, scientists are still trying to figure out what it is. Leonardo described some of the first modern ideas about paleontology back in the 15th century.

2. Robotics

At the end of the 15th century, Leonardo designed what is considered the first humanoid robot. The machine had a complex series of pulleys and spring mechanisms that allowed it to lift its arms and move them. He also developed several mechanical lions that could walk on their own, using clock-like mechanisms that were many decades ahead of their time.

3. Parachute

4. Helicopter

Long before flying machines were invented, Leonardo came up with the idea of ​​a helicopter. In 2013, a team of Canadian engineers created a pedal-powered helicopter based on Leonardo's idea.

5. Telescope

Although Leonardo probably never actually created telescopes, he certainly recognized the potential of lenses and mirrors in viewing celestial bodies from earth. One of his notebooks contains instructions for creating what sounds a lot like a reflecting telescope: "In order to observe the nature of the planets, a concave mirror should be made on the roof. The image reflected by the base of the mirror will show the surface of the planet in high magnification."

In 1509, Leonardo sketched out a model of how the optical power of the eye could be changed. If you keep your face in a bowl of water, you can see more clearly for a while. He suggested that lenses filled with water could improve vision. The first lenses were created only in the 19th century.

7. Scuba and diving

Jacques Cousteau is considered the father of scuba diving, but Leonardo was already thinking about wetsuits in the early 16th century. He proposed a floating cork buoy that would hold a reed tube above the water, through which air would flow to the diver. He also came up with a leather bag that could hold air for a diver.

8. Freudian psychology

In 1916, Sigmund Freud published an entire book attempting to analyze Leonardo based on his biography. Freud psychoanalyzed Leonardo, coming up with extensive explanations for his relentless curiosity, artistic skill, and general behavior.

9. Artistic Perspective

The Renaissance painter was obsessed with optics and perspective. He developed an artistic technique that makes things more distant appear more blurred, and popularized it in Renaissance painting. Leonardo developed many artistic techniques such as chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and shadow, and sfumato - mixing oil paints to blur the boundaries between colors in a painting.

10. Anatomy

In addition to all his discoveries regarding human organs, Leonardo da Vinci was the first person to accurately describe the shape of the spine. He depicted an S-shaped spine and sacrum made of fused vertebrae.

11. Dentistry

Leonardo was the first person to depict the regular structure of teeth in the oral cavity, detailing their number and root structure.

12. Cardiac surgery

Leonardo was obsessed with the study of the heart. Over the course of his life, he dissected dozens of human hearts to find out how they worked. A century before discovering that the heart pumps blood throughout the body, Leonardo understood its vital importance to the circulatory system. He was the first person to describe coronary artery disease, and the first to describe the heart as a muscle.

13. Obstetrics

Many of Leonardo's drawings of female anatomy mistakenly suggest similarities between the reproductive organs of humans and cows. But he was the first to depict the position of a fetus in a woman's uterus, laying the foundation for a better understanding of pregnancy and childbirth.

14. Optical illusion

Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks contain the earliest known examples of anamorphosis, a visual trick where an image appears distorted from a normal perspective but appears normal from another (such as a mirror).

15. Pop culture

Leonardo's "Vitruvian Man" is one of the most recognizable drawings in the world. This design has been used literally everywhere - movies, TV shows, t-shirts, etc.

This list will also be a great addition.

Leonardo da Vinci is a symbol of the Renaissance. He left a rich collection of drawings, technical inventions, and research. The drawings of Leonardo da Vinci are of particular scientific and historical value. One of them - “The Vitruvian Man” - still evokes mystical awe. Let's figure out what message of the great artist is encoded in it.

“Vitruvian Man” by Leonardo da Vinci: description

Leonardo da Vinci, whose works embodied the worldview of the Renaissance, was not only a great artist and architect, but also an engineer and designer. His research was several centuries ahead of the development of science and technology.

Sometimes it seems that many of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings and drawings were a mystical insight or a manifestation of the influence of higher powers. How could a 15th century man design an aircraft or a parachute, scuba gear, or a car? Namely, these drawings were discovered in the diaries of Leonardo da Vinci.

His paintings are no less mysterious. For more than five hundred years, art historians have been struggling with the mystery of Gioconda’s smile, unraveling the message captured in the painting “The Last Supper.” Many are convinced that all of Leonardo's creations contain cryptograms.

Da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" is one such drawing. Conspiracy theorists believe that it contains a secret message about some esoteric knowledge. It was this conjecture that was used by the American writer Dan Brown in the bestseller The Da Vinci Code.

According to the plot of the book, Professor Langdon discovered the body of the curator Jacques Saunière in the Louvre Museum, who, in the last minutes of his life, drew a circle around himself with a marker: “The clarity of Saunière’s intentions cannot be denied. In the last minutes of his life, the curator tore off his clothes and positioned himself in a circle, deliberately copying Leonardo da Vinci’s famous drawing ‘The Vitruvian Man’.”

This painting by the great artist, according to Dan Brown, is a message that communicates the unity of the masculine and feminine principles.

What does the little man, whose drawing has been surprising the world for several centuries, actually look like, and what does it mean?

The mysterious sketch is an illustration to the works of the Roman city planner and engineer Vitruvius, whose notes the Italian painter and scientist used in practical work.

The drawing consists of two images that are superimposed on one another: a square and a circle, in the centers of which are inscribed the silhouettes of a man with outstretched arms and legs. In one position, his arms form 90 degrees and his legs stand straight, and in the second, his arms and legs form 45 degrees.

The drawing was not originally intended for public viewing. This was a working sketch from which Leonardo da Vinci calculated the proportions of the human body in order to correctly depict people in his canvases. Therefore, the entire sketch is lined with barely noticeable straight lines.

It is very skillfully done in ink. All proportions maintained by the Renaissance painter correspond to the calculations of Vitruvius.

Leonardo da Vinci believed that there was an ideal number "phi" - the number of God. It is this that ensures harmony and clear proportions of everything created by nature. This number also became significant for da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man”. In fact, this sketch represents an ideal creature, since the ratio of the parts of its body determines the number “phi”.

Thus, there is no particular mystery in Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing. This is a talented sketch by an artist who sought to find harmony in nature and man and wanted to understand its laws and principles.

Leonardo da Vinci's Man: Little-Known Facts

What is mysterious about da Vinci's Vitruvian Man? Here are some interesting facts related to this sketch:

• Leonardo was not the first to depict a person according to the proportions calculated by Vitruvius. Before him, this was also done by the talented, but less famous architect Giacomo Andrea de Ferrara;

• the drawing, as conceived by Leonardo da Vinci, was a symbol of the unity of two principles - material (square) and spiritual (circle). At the center of the universe is man. It consists of water, fire, earth and air, therefore it embodies the harmony of the world order;
• it is not known who the sitter was for this sketch. It is believed that it was either the author himself, or a simulated ideal man, created according to the mathematical proportions calculated by Leonardo da Vinci;

• a double image of a man in a drawing by an Italian scientist and painter simultaneously demonstrates 16 poses;
• The Vitruvian Man is a cultural symbol of the era of modernism and postmodernity. Based on the model created by Leonardo, the French architect Le Corbusier created his scale of proportions, which became the standard in the art of the 20th century;
• Da Vinci's sketch was recreated by the Irish artist on the ice of the Arctic Ocean. It was a shout-reminder to humanity that it is responsible for the state of the planet.

This famous drawing by the famous painter and inventor is in the treasuries of the Venice Museum. It is practically never shown to the public. And the author himself did not count on such a stir around his creation.

Despite the subtext in this sketch, da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” is the embodiment of the worldview of the Renaissance, the reverence of Renaissance culture for antiquity, the desire to know nature, its harmony, laws, to know the person who embodied the essence of the world order.

Inventors, architects and writers of the Renaissance. Today, galleries, museums, institutes, restaurants, and even some brands are named after him. It is true what they say: “If a person is talented, then he is talented in everything,” this is the expression that suits Leonardo da Vinci. Today we want to present a list of the ten greatest and most amazing inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, for which he became famous.

It is known that Leonardo was very interested in anatomy from childhood. Surely it was she, as well as a great desire to help humanity, that contributed to the emergence of this technology around 1495. Da Vinci studied the human body for a long time and decided to create his own mechanical prototype of a person (he could rise and sit down, move his arms and neck), naturally, different from modern cyborgs. But it is precisely this that is the primary source for further improvements in robotics.

This is a prototype of a modern helicopter, which had “blades” and if you gave them sufficient speed, aerodynamic pressure was generated, thanks to which it could take off. If there was air under the blades, the propeller rose to a sufficiently high distance, but could not fly on its own. The screw had to be driven by people who walked around the axis and pushed the levers.

Leonardo da Vinci's city of the future was a multi-tiered settlement, where each building had an individual water supply system, similar to those existing now. The creation of such a city was facilitated by the raging plague, unsanitary conditions and dirt at that time. Leonardo sought to create a city where there would be no such diseases and which would be suitable for comfortable living. It is interesting that after this invention, diagrams of similar cities appeared among other scientists, but the primacy belongs to da Vinci.

The self-propelled trolley is very similar, and in fact, is the ancestor of our car. It was invented by da Vinci in such a way that it could move both with and without a driver - a kind of “robot car”. Unfortunately, scientists were not able to study in detail the design by which the car moved, but they made the assumption that it was a spring mechanism. It was hidden inside the cart itself; it had to be wound by hand, after which the spring would unwind and the cart would move.

Tank

This invention is considered the prototype of modern tanks. It was a conical-shaped machine equipped with cannons along the perimeter. Could move using the muscular power of a crew of eight people. Most likely, it was intended to intimidate the enemy, and not for use as a serious military weapon.

The diving suit was invented for underwater sabotage. So that divers could, dressed in this attire, open the bottoms of enemy ships that sailed to Venice. The suit was made of leather. Divers could breathe using a flexible breathing tube made from pieces of reed attached to wine bottles or a floating bell on the surface.

Leonardo da Vinci proposed putting together 11 muskets on one rectangular platform, then folding three platforms into a triangle and placing a shaft inside. It was understood that while one row of muskets was firing, the other two would cool down and reload. As you know, not one of Da Vinci's inventions for killing was built, but if this machine gun had been built, it would have been extremely destructive for the enemy.

It is no secret that Leonardo da Vinci was interested in everything that flies, so the Italian inventor developed an ornithopter, a device with which you can rise into the air and fly like a bird, flapping mechanical wings driven by muscle power. From the point of view of aerodynamics, this device was very successful and scientists proved that if it had been built, a person would actually take off!

Parachute

In 1483, Leonardo da Vinci drew a sketch of a pyramidal parachute - a “tent” made of starched linen measuring 12x12 cubits. As he himself indicated, thanks to this device a person could fall from any height without being injured. The surprising thing is that these calculations are close to the dimensions of a modern parachute.

Perhaps the greatest invention of Leonardo da Vinci is the bearing. This mechanism is so small that we simply do not notice it in everyday life, but it is impossible to imagine our life without it! The bearing was part of most of Leonardo's invented mechanisms; it is the basis of almost every moving mechanism today.

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On April 15, 1452, in the wonderful town of Northern Italy, Vinci, near Florence, the outstanding creator and incredible creator of the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci, was born. For more than 500 years, historical and technological changes have retained echoes of the originality and greatness of the Italian genius. “365” decided to remember 10 inventions that were left behind by a great creator who was ahead of his time.

Leonardo da Vinci "Vitruvian Man", 1492

Bearing

Creating designs on paper for incredible mechanisms, Leonardo da Vinci thought through each of them down to the smallest detail, without which the very idea of ​​creating what was conceived would have been impossible. So, for example, a small but very important part for almost any moving mechanism appeared - a bearing. It reduces friction and makes rotational and linear movements possible. According to some researchers, the idea of ​​bearings dates back to ancient Rome, but sketches were first discovered in the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. They became the basis for almost all of his inventions.

Helicopter

What could be more beautiful and magical than the state of flight? It is not surprising that, while still a young man, Leonardo, admiring the ability of birds, strives to make flight possible for humans. Perhaps Leonardo did not even imagine what an incredible time-saving and amazing opportunity such flight ability would be for humans. So Leonardo creates several sketches of flying units. One of the most famous is an aircraft with a main rotor (the prototype of a modern helicopter). The design was based on a five-meter flax screw impregnated with starch, which had to be unscrewed by a group of four people. This simple helicopter became Leonardo’s first aerial vehicle.

First Parachute

Under the conditions of the proposed flight, the enterprising Leonardo foresaw the need to create a device for jumping from any height. Shaped like a pyramid with a strong wooden frame measuring 12 yards (10.97 meters), the first parachute, according to Leonardo's notes, could allow a person to jump from great heights without harm to his health. Modern naturalists confirm the effectiveness of the pyramidal parachute.

Self-propelled trolley

Drawing of da Vinci's self-propelled cart

Perhaps it was thanks to Leonardo da Vinci that Italy became famous for its automobile brands. After all, back in the 15th century, Leonardo invented the “self-propelled cart,” which is called the first car. Thanks to a complex spring mechanism, the cart could move independently, like a clockwork, while the spring unwinded. The cart had two independent wheels at the back and one at the front. Separately there was a small wheel, which was responsible for the direction of movement. According to Leonardo's drawings, the cart could only move to the right. However, this is just a guess. The carriage was not built during Leonardo's lifetime.

First bike

The creation of the first bicycle is also attributed to the genius of Da Vinci. According to the creator's idea, the two-wheeled mobile mechanism made of wood was supposed to be controlled by a person. However, the steering wheel of the ancestor of the modern bicycle did not turn and there was no special seat provided either. But the movement of wheels using a chain was already described by Leonardo in his manuscripts.

Diving suit

Leonardo Da Vinci, with his inventions, allowed humanity to master all habitats. Water was no exception. A suit made of leather, a mask lined with glass holes, and a special breathing system through reed tubes would allow one to stay under water for quite a long time.

Robot Knight

Studying human anatomy in detail, Leonardo da Vinci came to the conclusion that muscles move bones. This simple principle became the basis for the robot knight of the 15th century. Of course, robots of the 21st century will give a head start to Leonardo’s mechanism in terms of their technical capabilities. However, this project was carried out, and there is some information about the capabilities of this machine. The robot walked, sat and even moved its jaws.

Loom

At one time, Leonardo helped many tailors, making their painstaking work easier by creating a loom, or spinning machine. The key point in this mechanism was the automation of the process of drawing and winding thread, which had previously been done only manually.

Perhaps many people know Leonardo da Vinci more as the inventor of military mechanisms, despite the fact that he strongly denied violence. However, as a feast organizer for the patron Ludovico Sforza, Da Vinci received a salary less than a court dwarf, so he tried to attract the attention of wealthy warrior lords to his military inventions. Thus, following the needs of his time, Leonardo created inventions that were supposed to serve as protection against possible attacks.

Machine gun

The “33 barrel organ,” or da Vinci machine gun, very vaguely resembles the modern type of machine gun. It could fire volleys at short intervals, but could not fire bullets quickly from a single barrel. The power of the design itself is interesting: three racks of 11 barrels with 33 charges on each. The installation itself rotated, and changing three racks could allow continuous fire. While one rack was firing, the second was reloading, and the third was cooling down.

Wheel lock for pistol

The wheel lock is one of the few inventions created by Leonardo da Vinci, which received recognition and was widely used by the creator’s contemporaries. The wheel lock replaced the wick lock. This type of lock has become more resistant to moisture, more reliable, eliminated the need to use open fire, and also eliminated the peculiar smoke effect for the person shooting from such a pistol.

The great, mysterious, eccentric and absent-minded genius Leonardo da Vinci left his contribution in all spheres of knowledge and art. Unfortunately, almost all of his inventions were forgotten, and humanity had to “reinvent the wheel” again.

Text: Elena Rybakova