We built and jumped the da Vinci parachute based on his drawing and text from 1485.
"If a man is provided with a length of gummed linen cloth, with a length of 12 yards on each side and 12 yards high, he can jump from any great height whatsoever without any injury."
Mr Da Vinci was right!
But, little could he or we know the fantastic output.
Most people asked why we even tried to see if the 500 year old parachute worked, considered the risks involved.
The result? Well, it helped modern open heart surgery, and Salford scientist could make better and more effective heart valves.