Quick Read: Leonardo da Vinci - The Inventor
Leonardo da Vinci is most famous as an artist and the creator of arguably the most famous and valuable piece of art in the world The Mona Lisa.
But, in what has to be one of the best examples of balance between the left and the right side of the brain. Da Vinci was exceptionally multi-talented. This multi-talent was not wasted and Da Vinci didn’t just create wonderful art, but he also conceptualised some of the worlds most important inventions. Such as:
The Helicopter
450 years before the first helicopter took the the skies, in 1493 Da Vinci designed the worlds first recorded design of a helicopter.
The Tank
Somewhere in the late 1400’s Da Vinci had rudimentary designs of a tank. The battlefield wouldn’t actually see a tank until World War 1 in 1916.
The Parachute
Whilst Sebastien Lenormand is attributed with inventing the parachute in 1783, Da Vinci actually sketched a parachute hundreds of years earlier.
The Scuba Diver
The modern Scuba outfit was designed in 1943. Da Vinci had sketched a design that was recently proven to work when it was built.
The Ball Bearing
Somewhere in the last two years of the 14th century Da Vinci invented the ball bearing. He actually designed it to improve his helicopter design. He also designed the roller bearing and needle bearing.
Whilst Da Vinci is best known as an artist, a profession that relies heavily on the right side of the brain, these inventions clearly show a real balance to the left hand side of the brain. If you are curious I’ve listed at the bottom of this post some of Da Vinci’s professional attributes.
As well as inventions Leonardo da Vinci is also credited with discovering arteriosclerosis, creating the first full anatomical drawing of the human body, hinted at an understanding of Plate Tectonics, and finally 350 years before Charles Darwin he wrote – “Man. The description of man, which includes that of such creatures as are almost of the same species, as Apes, Monkeys and the like, which are many”
Left Brain Strength: Scientist, Engineer, Mathematician, Anatomist, Botanist
Right Brain Strength: Inventor, Painter, Sculptor, Architect, Musician, Writer