Michelle Rebekah John
Long before Silicon Valley pitches or Shark Tank deals, there was Leonardo da Vinci, an artist, scientist and part-time time traveler. When he wasn’t painting mysterious smiles or dissecting cadavers, he was busy sketching ideas centuries ahead of his time. Some were genius, some were crazy. All were peak Da Vinci.
The Flying Machine (Ornithopter)
Leonardo was obsessed with flight and believed humans could soar like birds. His design had flapping wings powered by arms and legs. Did it fly? Negative. Would it steal the show at Comic-Con? Absolutely.
The self-propelled cart
A robot car…in the 1400s? Yep. Powered by coiled springs and gears, this cart could move on its own and even follow a set path — Renaissance RC car vibes. Scientists only figured out how it worked in 2004 and yes, it totally worked.
The scuba suit
Da Vinci designed a leather diving suit with breathing tubes and a bell float — made to sneak up on enemy ships underwater. Basically a 15th century Navy SEAL suit. Sorry, Bond.
The armoured tank
Imagine a turtle with cannons poking out of its shell, rolled forward by men cranking gears inside — that’s Da Vinci’s tank. Plot twist: He intentionally made the gears flawed so it couldn’t be used in real battle. Brilliant and a pacifist? Icon.
The mechanical drum
Before there were drum machines, Da Vinci dreamed up a self-playing drum powered by levers and wheels. This ingenious device was powered by a system of levers and wheels, designed to operate autonomously. The mechanical drum used rotating parts to mimics the rhythm of traditional drum, giving us an early glimpse of automation.