A new study , published by the journal Human Evolution , documents new evidence for the male continuum, from father to son, of the Da Vinci family, thus providing a solid foundation for advancing a research project on Leonardo da Vinci DNA. .
The study fills in the gaps and corrects errors in previous genealogical research on Leonardo’s family, until identifying 14 living descendants of the brilliant inventor . It also provides for the first time the documentary data and sources of information over the seven centuries to the current record.
The cool inventor
Half a century of research has managed to reconstruct 690 years and 21 generations of the Davincian lineage until finding 14 living descendants of the artist. The Y chromosome, which is passed on to male descendants, is known to remain almost unchanged throughout 25 generations.
Likewise, once the ‘heirs’ of DNA have been identified, the door also opens to an even more extraordinary possibility: studying an ‘original’ fragment of the genes of the Italian polymath .
The identity of Leonardo’s heirs remains, for now, shrouded in mystery. The researchers, in fact, have preferred to keep their names anonymous to protect their privacy.
According to the authors, this 690-year-old genealogical research is considered fundamental to the affiliated scientific work they are carrying out with the international Leonardo da Vinci DNA project, supported by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation. Until recently, studying Leonardi’s DNA seemed impossible since, in the absence of biological descent, the artist’s biological remains could not be studied either, and because his grave was looted and his body disappeared during riots .
Questions that are likely to be investigated once Leonardo’s DNA is confirmed include the reasons behind his genius, information about the geographic origins of his parents, whether he was left-handed, whether he suffered from synesthesia, etc. Comparison of biological data could also help verify the authenticity of works of art and materials handled by Leonardo .
Undoubtedly, these kinds of questions will cause great fascination among those who think that great scientific or technological discoveries or advances are led by unique geniuses. However, things are more complicated. Both in this field and in art, like writing a simple book, the ecosystem has more influence than the single genius :