Science might find a way to bring back a true genius. A brilliant group of scientists and scholars are planning something big for Leonardo da Vinci's 500th death anniversary, and it includes reconstructing the artist's genome!
According to Gizmodo, the aptly named Leonardo Project will assemble various individuals including art historians and geneticists in an attempt to examine Leonardo da Vinci's works. In addition to that, the project is planning to find the artist's remains to extract his genetic code.
Bringing Back The Master
It will not be easy to recover Leonardo da Vinci's DNA since the artist actually died 500 years ago. However, Craig Venter Institute geneticist Rhonda Roby is optimistic that the project will succeed.
"More and more techniques are being developed to recover DNA from people touching things," she stated, indicating that Leonardo Project will try to find the genome from the artist's notebooks. In addition to that, Roby addressed the possibility of recovering Leonardo da Vinci's genetic code from his famous works.
"I also think there's a possibility of biological material inside paintings," Roby shared, although she expressed concern over how the recovery will affect Leonardo da Vinci's priceless works. "The challenge would be actually getting that material out without damaging the artwork."
Project will use DNA analysis to reveal more about Leonardo da Vincihttps://t.co/nIzDUyFxdg via @MailOnline.
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Understanding Leonardo da Vinci
The Leonardo Project might seem like an ambitious endeavor, but the scientists believe that their efforts will help people understand Leonardo da Vinci as well as his influences to science and culture. Rockefeller University's Program for the Human Environment director Jesse Ausubel stated that their discoveries will have an astounding impact on the world.
"Overall, we feel this is an exciting frontier," he said. "We hope the progress we make will be useful to museums around the world."
The Leonardo Project aims to uncover its discoveries in 2019 in celebration of Leonardo da Vinci's 500th death anniversary. What do you think about this project? Let us know in the comments below!
