Da Vinci's Anatomical Heart

The anatomical heart is something of a medical and scientific wonder, but did you know it also has a rich history connected to an inspiring renaissance man. The first person ever to have come close to making a diagram of an accurate human heart may have been Leonardo Da Vinci.

Better known for his art work, Da Vinci was also an avid inventor and scientist, and was constantly experimenting with new ideas and creating new technologies. Take his early example of a robot, with moving parts, or his anatomical diagram that came to be known as the vitruvian man, which showed the ratio of human body parts perfectly.

Da Vinci had something of a general interest in sketching diagrams of human body parts, but from 1507 onwards, when he reached his 50s, he took a particular interest in the heart. He used his extensive knowledge of engineering, fluids, weights, and other observations to try to understand how the heart functions.

He made some startling conclusions, some of which have only recently been shown with the use of an MRI scan. He suggested that the heart was a muscle, and even made a description of how artery valves open and close, letting blood flow round the body. He later dissected hearts and made some more amazing claims, showing that the heart had four chambers.

Who'd have thought? Da Vinci; one of the first people to make accurate diagrams of anatomical hearts.

Take a look at out beautiful anatomical heart necklace, a symbol of love and good health.