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526 Years On, Da Vinci's Clockwork Car Constructed

SimianOverlord writes "The Guardian (and several other news outlets) report on the attempt by Professor Paulo Galluci and his team to build a working model of Leonard Da Vinci's clockwork powered car, designed in 1478. Previous attempts have been made to create the vehicle, but they failed to work properly. This is thought to be due to a misunderstanding of the original design, which is corrected in the new model. Apart from the 1/3 scale replica, the team have also made a full size model but have not dared to test it. Professor Galluzzi explained "It is a very powerful machine. It could run into something and do serious damage.""

46 of 402 comments (clear)

  1. fascinating by msim · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's taken them long enough to figure it out.

    I guess that 2 things can be learned from this
    1) Da Vinci was a genius ahead of his own time
    2) Document your frigging drawings! were not all mind readers ya know!

    --

    Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know when your gonna get food poisoning.
    1. Re:fascinating by natrius · · Score: 5, Funny

      The fact that his drawings weren't commented is what tipped us off to his genius in the first place. Everyone knows smart people don't comment.

    2. Re:fascinating by geekoid · · Score: 4, Funny


      top 2 things overheard in Da Vinci's lab:

      "Even a simplten with a mere IQ of 210 will be able to understand these drawings, no need to document"

      "Surely, everybody will want to read my writing as if they are looking into a mirror."

      top 2 things heard in developers cubes:
      "If it's hard to write, it should be hard to read"

      "My code is self documenting"

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    3. Re:fascinating by nacturation · · Score: 2, Funny

      By your logic the windows source code should be documented to all hell, while the linux source code has roughly three comments in it.

      No, no... in Linux, the comments are written *backwards*.

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    4. Re:fascinating by endx7 · · Score: 3, Funny

      "My code is self documenting"

      Hey, not all of us are cobol programmers!

    5. Re:fascinating by E_elven · · Score: 3, Funny
      Seen in actual code
      // |/| 4 1 (| |/| 3-3 _| + + 1 _| 0 + '| 3 =| =| |_| 8 3 |-| +
      // 2 |V| '| 0 =| 2 |/| 4 '| + |/| 0 1 + ) |/| |_| =| 2 1 |-| +
      void to_little_endian(void * buffer) {
      ...
      --
      Marxist evolution is just N generations away!
    6. Re:fascinating by geekoid · · Score: 2, Funny

      That, from someone who grew up using c!?!

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    7. Re:fascinating by ReflectingGod · · Score: 2, Funny
      The fact that his drawings weren't commented is what tipped us off to his genius in the first place. Everyone knows smart people don't comment.

      That must make me a real genius, as my code is never commented, and nobody can ever understand it.

      The fact that I can't understand it either, and it never compiles, is completely irrelevant.

  2. Turns only to the right? by bearl · · Score: 5, Funny

    A programmable steering mechanism allows it go straight, or turn at pre-set angles. But only to the right.

    To the right? That's of no use! Reprogram that sucker to turn left and send it to NASCAR.

    1. Re:Turns only to the right? by rchatterjee · · Score: 2, Funny

      or they could always just decide to have races with this kind of car going the opposite direction on the track.

    2. Re:Turns only to the right? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      or they could always just decide to have races with this kind of car going the opposite direction on the track.

      Or upside-down, clinging to the ceiling. (Now we only need to get a ceiling...)

    3. Re:Turns only to the right? by LostCluster · · Score: 3, Funny

      The reason why they turn to the left in NASCAR is because that turn creates a downward force on the car. A right turn at such a high speed create an upward force, and could risk the cars loosing grip with the pavement which would send a car straight toward the wall at the curve.

    4. Re:Turns only to the right? by YU+Nicks+NE+Way · · Score: 3, Funny

      No, that's only true in the Northern hemisphere. It's the other way around down South.

    5. Re:Turns only to the right? by operagost · · Score: 2, Funny
      Now run directly towards equator.
      Since you're at the pole, feel free to run in any direction for the proper effect.
      --

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  3. Clockwork Car? by haRDon · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder if it'll get you to work on time?

    1. Re:Clockwork Car? by nacturation · · Score: 4, Funny

      And what about the colors... does it come in Clockwork Orange?

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    2. Re:Clockwork Car? by DarkHelmet · · Score: 2, Funny

      Alex: "IT'S A SIN! IT'S A SIN!"

      Dr: "Sin? What's all this about sin?"

      Alex Points to the car... "THAT!"

      --
      /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
  4. Impressive.... by Yoda2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...but the real headline will be when someone successfully pilots one of his flying machines!

  5. The other Leonardo's car by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    They should create a replica of the turtle van used in the old cartoon, now that would be worthwhile science!

  6. It can only turn right... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess DaVinci agrees that we should be Left Hand Drive...

  7. Not on the road? by dankney · · Score: 5, Funny
    "It is a very powerful machine. It could run into something and do serious damage."

    And the SUV that nearly killed me this morning isn't?

    The real reason it isn't on the road is government regulation. There needs to be a 10-year rigorous testing project to make sure it meets federal emmission standards.

  8. I can't wait... by lewko · · Score: 5, Funny

    Until homeless bums jump in front of your clockwork car at traffic lights, start cranking and then demand five bucks...

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  9. that's nothing... by physicsphairy · · Score: 5, Funny

    I will soon complete a modern version of Da Vinci's nuclear breeder reactor as soon as I can find a wood cog that decelerates neutron emissions.

  10. A clockwork... by paul248 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I was going to say a witty pun related to "A Clockwork Orange," but I couldn't think of anything that rhymes with it...

  11. The secret has been revieled by geekoid · · Score: 5, Funny

    1) Make obscure drawings the kind of look like what you are thinkging of
    2) Don't document, allow other to figure it out
    3)Profit!

    wait, that would be management.

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  12. renaissance hazard by tunabomber · · Score: 4, Funny

    "It is a very powerful machine. It could run into something and do serious damage." ...and to make things worse, they also successfully reconstructed Da Vinci's design for a clockwork cell phone.

    --

    pi = 3.141592653589793helpimtrappedinauniversefactory71 ...
  13. Da Vinci bike by John+Harrison · · Score: 4, Funny

    I made a Da Vinci bicycle my freshman year out of wood. Got a lot of odd looks riding it around campus. It was also quite loud. When I left at the year of the year I locked it to a bike rack and it wasn't there when I got back. If you ever see someone riding around Palo Alto on a primitive wooden bicycle knock them off it for me!

  14. Re:If Da Vinci had a 386?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not necessarily; imagine all of the time he would kill playing tetris!

  15. Here is an official explanation by geekoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    of that guys post here

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    1. Re:Here is an official explanation by rco3 · · Score: 1, Funny

      Hey, when I went there it was the entry for 'moron'. Why was that?

      --

      Ce n'est pas un vrai mouvement de robot!
  16. Re:Is it just me... by TummyX · · Score: 5, Funny

    Perhaps they don't want to depreciate the value of the car by increasing the milage on the clock.

  17. Got to quaote witchy-poo by geekoid · · Score: 2, Funny

    oranges poranges, who cares!

    Unless you are a rap star. In that case the proper rhyme for 'Oranges' is 'booty'.

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  18. Damage by neoshroom · · Score: 2, Funny

    "It is a very powerful machine," Professor Galluzzi said. So powerful that although they have made a full-scale "production model", they have not dared test it. "It could run into something and do serious damage," he said.

    Did they consider testing it outside perhaps?

    --
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    1. Re:damage by Feanturi · · Score: 2, Funny

      Is he talking about a hummer?

      Possibly.. A hummer in a moving vehicle is often prone to cause great amounts of damage.

  19. damage by updog · · Score: 2, Funny
    "It is a very powerful machine. It could run into something and do serious damage."

    Is he talking about a hummer?

  20. poor performance by Arctic+Dragon · · Score: 4, Funny

    "The wooden models spring forward several meters (yards) after a pair of back wheels are wound up, much like a kid's car zooms forward after the wheels are revved up against a surface."

    Only several meters? Not a very quick machine, I imagine. A Supra rear wing and a dozen Type-R stickers would surely help.

  21. Re:Two words: Salt Flats by kd5ujz · · Score: 2, Funny
    If they think it worth the journey, the Utah Salt Flats would be an ideal location to test the full size car. 30,000 acres of perfectly flat earth ought to be enough to elminate any chance of damaging anything larger than a dirt clod. The location is often used for drag racing and testing experimental vehicles.
    Umm, I thought this was brought up before, the earth is ROUND. That is all, breaks over.
    --
    -William
    God is everything science has yet to explain.
  22. If daVinci were alive today he'd say... by geekoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    "HELP!,HELP!, I'm trapped in some sort of box!"

    --
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    1. Re:If daVinci were alive today he'd say... by Ravenrage · · Score: 3, Funny

      na he'd say "aiuto!, aiuto!, Sono bloccato in una certa specie della scatola!."

  23. Re:Interesting feature... by p4ul13 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Which brings to mind an excelent idea (to me). I think we should build one of these and add on a V6 engine to wind the motor for us. Think of the gas savings!!! =)

    --
    Paul Lenhart writes words!
  24. Car made of wood? by skinfitz · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wooden work.

  25. Re:Is it just me... by fenix+down · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think there probably is, and I think you spell it "giant-ass springs held in place by nothing but Rennaisance-era carpentry."

    "Ok, guys, just keep pulling it back, yeah, keep going, keep going, keep..."
    *FWOING*
    "Oh, Jesus, he's got an arm off!"

    That can't be good for the university's insurace rates.

  26. Skater's dream by mdielmann · · Score: 2, Funny

    Where the hell are you going to sit on this thing? I can just imagine a bunch of people in Victorian clothing pushing it backwards and getting on their skateboards while still holding on for a ride down the cobbled streets.

    --
    Sure I'm paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?
  27. The gas companies... by dawg+ball · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... must be worried.

  28. hmm, by way2trivial · · Score: 2, Funny

    I always just changed my scantron form to make it indicate it was the new 'master' scantron machines (the ones my school had) scored cards marked as masters as a perfect score (0 missed) and to the hell with the forms folliwng mine.

    --
    every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
  29. I must read Da Vinci's original schematics by Gax · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... I've always wanted to know what makes these things tick.