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Abbas ibn Firnas
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Abū al-Qāsim ʿAbbās ibn Firnās ibn Wardās al-Tākurunnī, known as ʿAbbās ibn Firnās was an Andalusi polymath: an inventor, astronomer, physician, chemist, engineer, musician, and poet. He was reported
2011 artistic impression by Eulogia Merle [es; gl]
2011 artistic impression by Eulogia Merle [es; gl]
Parachute
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A parachute is a device designed to slow an object's descent through an atmosphere by creating drag or aerodynamic lift. It is primarily used to safely support people exiting aircraft at height, but a
Abbas ibn Firnas
…from a tower in Córdoba, intending to use the garment as wings on which he could glide. The alleged attempt at flight was unsuccessful, and the garment slowed his fall enough that he sustained only minor injuries. However, secondary sources that deal exhaustively with Ibn Firnas's flight attempt make zero references…
Paratroopers deploying their parachutes during an exercise
Paratroopers deploying their parachutes during an exercise
The oldest known depiction of a parachute, attributed to Francesco di Giorgio Martini (Italy, 1470s)
The oldest known depiction of a parachute, attributed to Francesco di Giorgio Martini (Italy, 1470s)
Faust Vrančić's parachute design, titled Homo Volans ("Flying Man"), from his Machinae Novae ("New Contraptions", published in 1615 or 1616)
Faust Vrančić's parachute design, titled Homo Volans ("Flying Man"), from his Machinae Novae ("New Contraptions", published in 1615 or 1616)
Louis-Sébastien Lenormand jumps from the tower of the Montpellier observatory, 1783. Illustration from the late 19th century.
Louis-Sébastien Lenormand jumps from the tower of the Montpellier observatory, 1783. Illustration from the late 19th century.