Inventions
Leonardo da Vinci designed flying machines
real
he drew sketches of gliders and even a helicopter but none actually flew
real
bloodletting was a common medical practice for centuries
the telescope was improved during the renaissance to study the stars
real
Galileo and others refined telescopes to observe the heavens
people used honey to treat wounds and prevent infection
real
honey has natural antibacterial properties and was commonly used
doctors believed that could air entering the body cold cause illness
real
people thought exposure to drafts or cold could make you sick
The first eyeglasses were invented during the Renaissance
real
eyeglasses were first made in Italy around the late 1200s and became common in the Renaissance
Herbal remedies like rosemary and thyme were used to treat common illness
real
herbs were used in Renaissance medicine to treat fevers
Maps became more accurate during the Renaissance due to better navigation tools
real
navigation tools let mapmakers create more accurate maps
drinking small amounts of snake venom was believed to cure fevers
fake
snake venom is toxic and would not cure illness
some thought wearing a necklace made of herbs could prevent the plague
real
herbs sere worn for protection, thought they couldn't stop disease
Cornelis Drebbel built an early submarine that could travel underwater
real
he built one of the first submarines and tested it in a river
Physicians recommended drinking mercury to cure infections
fake
mercury was known but it was never a treatment
Alchemists successfully turned lead into gold in workshops
fake
alchemists tried for centuries but no one could truly make gold from lead
renaissance doctors sometimes prescribed powdered pearls for digestive problems
real
pearls were ground into powder and used in medicines for various ailments
some renaissance doctors believed that a patient's personality could be diagnosed by the shape of their skull
real
the idea is called physiognomy was taken seriously in medical theory
a renaissance inventor made glasses that could see through walls
fake
renaissance lenses could correft vision but not see through objects
some renaissance doctors claimed they could cure blindness by applying powdered gemstones to the eyes
fake
people experimented with strange remedies but gemstones couldn't restore vision
some renaissance scientists claimed they could make water turn into wine
fake
alchemists experimented with substances, but turning water into wine
people believed wearing live frogs in a pouch could cure headaches
fake
some bizarre remedies were used, but frogs didn't cure headaches
doctors recommended rubbing powdered mummies on the skin to cure wounds
real
"Mumia" was a real medicinal substance made from preserve bodies
renaissance inventors designed a clock that ran entirely on mercury instead of springs
fake
mercury was studied for science and alchemy
some renaissance doctors tried using leeches to transfer good blood from healthy people to sick patients
fake
leeches were used for bloodletting, but no one could transfer health blood between people
some renaissance scientists claimed they could invent a flying machine powered by humans running inside it
fake
while inventors sketched flying machines, no human powered machine could actually fly
doctors recommended blood transfusions from animals to humans to restore health
fake
transfusions were not attempted with animals, and it wouldn't work
people believed that drinking mercury could improve longevity
fake
mercury was used in treatments, but it was toxic and didn't extend life