Leonardo da Vinci designed an early parachute, describing a pyramidal canopy intended to let a person descend safely from a height.
Around 1485, he wrote that a person could jump from a great height while protected by a linen canopy supported by poles. His design was about 7.2 metres wide and 7.2 metres high. Leonardo reasoned that the structure would create enough air resistance to slow a descent.
The design was not tested in Leonardo’s lifetime. In 2000, British adventurer Adrian Nicholas built and tested a version, reporting that it descended successfully, although he used a modern reserve parachute for safety.
Leonardo’s proposal predates practical parachutes by centuries, but it was based on the correct principle: drag from a broad canopy reduces falling speed.