Leonardo Da Vinci, arguably the central figure of the Renaissance, has long been considered by many a man of mystery. He was one of the first to question the Biblical account of the Flood. He saw the fossils of sea creatures on the tops of mountains and concluded that these could not have been deposited in a forty day flood. He looked at river valleys and did the math; they could only have been eroded over huge horizons of time. Da Vinci put as much thought into his art as he did his science. He studied philosophy, natural history, anatomy, biology, medicine, optics, acoustics, mathematics and hydraulics. He was an architect, musician, engineer and inventor. He sketched the first parachute, first helicopter, first aeroplane, first tank, first repeating rifle, swinging bridge, paddle boat and first motor car. Da Vinci designed machines of war as well. He was one of the first artists to sketch outdoor portraits. Da Vinci was a sculptor and designer of costumes. He was also a mathematician and a botanist. And did I mention Da Vinci Code...
