A week ago at the breakfast table, I noticed D reading an interesting article in the Economist. "What if Leonardo da Vinci visited 2019?" What would be some of the first things Leo would want to notice and compare?
More generally, worth asking too, what if some other historical figure with known documented life events were to visit our time today, in the 21st century? What if Napoleon visits (what would he comment on foreign affairs)? What if 武則天 visits (would she comment on the feminist movement)? What would a farmer, from 1000 A.D., notice in 2019?
"What-if" questions like these, while purely speculative, help to set a framework for inquisitive research. The Economist made mention of "oil" known as "naphtha." A quick search defines this as C10H8, used in mothballs and probably burned in oil lamps centuries, 400-500 years, ago during the Renaissance. Leonardo likely had some lamps in his workshop from which he could "burn the midnight oil." I wonder how much our understanding of good chemistry has advanced since that time? By good I'd like to specifically zone in on chemicals and human health. Growing up I certainly found a mothball or two in the closet and while I knew mothballs were not suitable for direct oral consumption, the smell permeated the enclosed space and kept our fancy cloths prim and delicate. How much inhalation of C10H8 (http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/naphgen.html) is good or bad, and do the effects of the chemical vary from person to person? I wonder if Leonardo thought about these questions during his time?
If you could think of some figures from history, who would X be?
More generally, worth asking too, what if some other historical figure with known documented life events were to visit our time today, in the 21st century? What if Napoleon visits (what would he comment on foreign affairs)? What if 武則天 visits (would she comment on the feminist movement)? What would a farmer, from 1000 A.D., notice in 2019?
"What-if" questions like these, while purely speculative, help to set a framework for inquisitive research. The Economist made mention of "oil" known as "naphtha." A quick search defines this as C10H8, used in mothballs and probably burned in oil lamps centuries, 400-500 years, ago during the Renaissance. Leonardo likely had some lamps in his workshop from which he could "burn the midnight oil." I wonder how much our understanding of good chemistry has advanced since that time? By good I'd like to specifically zone in on chemicals and human health. Growing up I certainly found a mothball or two in the closet and while I knew mothballs were not suitable for direct oral consumption, the smell permeated the enclosed space and kept our fancy cloths prim and delicate. How much inhalation of C10H8 (http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/naphgen.html) is good or bad, and do the effects of the chemical vary from person to person? I wonder if Leonardo thought about these questions during his time?
If you could think of some figures from history, who would X be?
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