Satvika Madadi

Mrs. Obbagy
English 5
12 Apr 2014
Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci is mostly known for his contribution to the art
world, but on top of his amazing abilities as an artist, he was a
brilliant anatomist, geologist and inventor. This was because he
was constantly observing, experimenting, and inventing, and
drawing was, for him, a tool for recording his
investigation( www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/.../hd_leon.ht...). Everything
he did wasnt observed again until the 20th century and
Leonardo posited it in 1513(
www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/.../hd_leon.ht...). Leonardo da Vinci, a

Renaissance genius, greatly influenced modern society through

his knowledge of anatomy and geology, and his inventions.
Leonardos anatomical skills were ahead his time. We know
because he created a notebook filled with his thoughts on the
structure of the body. For example, he made a glass model of
the aortic valve, through which he pumped grass seeds

suspended in water. And he witnessed little circular vortices in

whats called the sinus of Valsalva, a sort of swelling at the root
of the aorta. When blood flows through, these vortices play a role
in closing the aortic valve( www.royalcollection.org.uk). This
was written in detail in his notebook and when Leonardos
investigation of the heart was shown alongside a real-time MRI
scan of blood flowing through the aortic valve, confirmed that his
description was almost entirely correct(
www.royalcollection.org.uk/). As historians flip through his
notebooks of human anatomy, they realize that his sketches are
what implanted these ideas into modern-day scientists.
Along with being a great anatomist, Da Vinci was also an
amazing geologist. He knew that the Earth didnt just appear,
but slowly developed over time, or that fish fossils in mountains
or caves meant that a body of water had covered that place
before (Jones). Again, he recorded this information in a notebook
and with a bunch of research, he figured this out and lots more.
Even before Darwin, who had figured this out in the 1800s, Da
Vinci was in fact leaning towards the theory of evolution through
his geological findings.

The most significant contribution that Da Vinci has made to

modern society was through the multiple sketches of his
inventions. These inventions could not be made because of the
lack of technology then. However, as technology improved, his
sketches provoked scientists to poke around with the ideas of his
inventions. For example, Da Vinci, who was fascinated by the
idea of human flight, conceived his parachute as a way for
people to drift gracefully through the air(Lampton). Another
topic that he was fascinated about was water, so he made
sketches of deep sea diving suits. Da Vinci's divers would have
carried breathing hoses connected to a floating bell full of air,
wearing facemasks with glass goggles that would help them see
underwater. In another version of the concept, the divers would
have breathed from wine bladders filled with air. In both
versions, the men would carry a bottle to urinate in so that they
could stay underwater indefinitely(Lampton). These were only
some of the many ideas that influenced modern day scientists in
creating some of the greatest technology in the world.
Da Vinci continually inspires people all around the world
with his achievements. Not only did he just inspire us with just

these professions, he also motivated us through being an

engineer, sculptor, botanist, architect, musician, mathematician,
geologist, cartographer, and writer. Everything he observed
during all of his professions has influenced our lives because of
the great discoveries he made, even though none of his ideas
got sponsored during his lifetime.

Works Cited
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Leonardo Da Vinci (1452
1519). N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Jones, Jonathan. "Leonardo Da Vinci's Earth-shattering Insights
about Geology." Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 23 Nov.
2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
"Leonardo Da Vinci: Anatomy of an Artist." The Telegraph.
Telegraph Media Group, 28 July 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
"The Cardiovascular System and Principal Organs of a Woman."
Royal Collection Trust |. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.

"Top 10 Leonardo Da Vinci Inventions." Stuff of Genius. N.p.,n.d.

Web. 14 Apr. 2014.