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How Leonardo da Vinci Works

Leonardo da Vinci didn't just spend his time painting delicate half-smiles on mysterious women, although the Mona Lisa is what most people know him for. When he wasn't dashing off quick sketches of observations of real life, da Vinci was dreaming up fantastic inventions, from wartime weapons to impossible flying machines. Explore some of da Vinci's lesser-known creations with these articles from our partners at HowStuffWorks.com.

Da Vinci's Fascination with Dissection and the Human Body
Leonardo da Vinci was obsessed with the most intricate and mysterious machine of them all: the human body.

5 da Vinci Vehicular Concepts
Before steam-powered vehicles and the internal combustion engine, da Vinci had some remarkably forward-thinking vehicular ideas.

10 da Vinci War Designs
Leonardo da Vinci's prized sketchbooks feature some of the nastiest weapons ever conceived by man.
5 da Vinci Mechanical Concepts
A scientist and an engineer, da Vinci sketched diving bells, catapults and bicycles. Here are five ideas that were ahead of their time.

Da Vinci's 5 Attempts to Defy Nature
Whether seeking human flight or the ability to walk on water, nothing was unthinkable or too ambitious for da Vinci's insatiable curiosity.