Constant curiosity and an inquisitive mind are the momentum that keeps us learning new things even after failing repeatedly. Leonardo da Vinci insisted on revealing the truth and that is how he left the world with a myriad of major achievements in various disciplines.

Among the many sketches he drew, some had striking resemblance to the modern-day high-tech inventions. Here we pick out his 10 most interesting creations. Let us celebrate Da Vinci’s incredible foresight that was far in advance of his time.

Is it a rain shelter on wheels?

No, it is not. It was the world’s first armoured car invented by Da Vinci in 1485. In other words, it was the precursor of a modern tank that looked more like a flying saucer. Born in an era of constant warfare, Da Vinci had great interest in designing tools and machines for military use. Manned by a crew of eight who propelled the car by cranking the gears manually, the armoured car was also equipped with cannons to fight against anything coming close to it. Nowadays, a modern tank consists of a weapon system, a fire-control system, a dynamical system, a communication system and, of course, the armoured car body. Its power has grown way beyond what Da Vinci could have imagined.

A wooden bridge without nails or ropes?

Yes, that is true.

As early as 1485, Da Vinci invented a portable arched bridge made with pre-cut logs of wood that were slotted into one another. It was designed to be assembled quickly without using any rope or fastener. The bridge’s own weight kept the stacked logs together. In fact, the more weight you put on it, the tighter the logs interlocked with each other, the more stable the bridge was.

Did Da Vinci invent the bicycle?

Da Vinci sketched the first bicycle 500 years ago. The sketch was found in the recovery of the “Atlantic Code”. His concept was based on a gear and chain system that he invented himself, bringing the front and back wheels into motion. It was in fact the first geared vehicle in history. In recent years, people have been making bicycles according to his sketches, only to find that the Renaissance and modern bikes look very much alike.

An early diving wetsuit with portable washroom?

Besides gliding in the sky, Da Vinci also fancied swimming in the sea just like a fish. After prolonged study and fine-tuning, he designed the precursor of the modern diving apparatus. He made a ring buoy with waterproof leather and a diving suit out of pig skin. It came complete with eye glasses, a mask and bamboo tubes for air supply. His design was so thoughtful that he included a small urination pouch in the front so that the diver could stay longer underwater. Again, this diving suit had military value as soldiers could put it on and walk under the water to approach and destroy enemy’s boats unnoticed.

Your personal flying machine?

Since childhood, Da Vinci had dreamt of flying in the sky like a bird. That was why he regularly bought flocks of birds and set them free, so that he got to observe their flying motion up close. Later on, he made sketches of human powered flapping wings and other flying machines based on different mechanisms. His works built solid grounds for the conception of modern-day gliders, airplanes and helicopters. Nowadays, various means of air transport have been successfully invented, significantly shortening the distances between anywhere in the world. Maybe you can have your personal flying machine one day. Who knows?

Do you have the ideal body proportion?

Da Vinci was strongly interested in proportions. He studied the architecture classic, De Architectura, Libri Decem by the famed Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio intensively. He then came up with the ideal human proportion in the world-renowned drawing, the Vitruvian Man. According to Vitruvius, when a man spreads his legs and arms apart, he is simultaneously inscribed in the perfect geometry of a circle and a square. Without adhering to Vitruvius' theory, Da Vinci invented his own measurement. He corrected some mistakes made by Vitruvius and perfected the ideal human proportion. The Vitruvian man inscribed in a circle had his navel at the centre. The length of his palm is one-tenth of his height. The length of his ears is one-third of that of his face. When he stretched his arm apart, his arm span was equal to his height.

Contact lenses from 500 years ago?

The concept of contact lenses can be traced back to a research done by Da Vinci in 1508. He discovered that light was refracted when it passed through a glass sphere that was cut in half. He also made note of the difference between peripheral and central vision. Stereoscopic vision was possible only after the brain consolidated the two different images perceived by the two eyes.

When Da Vinci dissected a human eye, he put the cooked eye into albumen. That was how he conceived the concept of contact lenses. After careful studies, he believed placing artificial lenses directly over human eyeballs could correct refractive abnormalities. He even drew a few lenses in different shapes.

The delicate affinity between anatomy and fine art?

Da Vinci had untamed curiosity and overwhelming passion for drawing. He started studying anatomy in 1472, deeply inspired by an Italian anatomist Marc Antonio della Torre. Da Vinci was never scared of dissecting corpses just because his interest in the human nervous and muscle system overcame his fear. He also tried joining broken bones, stitching together a cracked skull and even skinning a corpse to view the muscle fibres. Up to 1515, Da Vinci had dissected 30 corpses, the results of which were documented in detailed annotated drawings. Not only did his findings benefit the biologists and anatomists of later generations, but also helped him paint and draw humans and animals in impeccable proportion and lifelikeness. Later on, he also borrowed the mechanism of human skeletal system in solving engineering and architectural problems.

Mechanical lion – is it the latest “garage kit” scale model?

No, not really. The mechanical lion was designed for a diplomatic mission. In 1515, Da Vinci was commissioned to create an automated decoration piece as a token for King Francis I of France to negotiate a peace agreement with Pope Leo X. As Leo is the Latin word for a lion, it was natural that a mechanical lion was made. It was designed to walk forward on its own, lift its head and open its chest to reveal over a hundred white lilies, based on which the Fleur-de-Lys, a symbol of the French monarchy, was styled.

A pen that drew the future?

Da Vinci always had a notebook and a pen with him. He wrote and drew with them. His pen was a variation of the Egyptian pen and it worked similarly to the modern-day fountain pen.