So Now You Know

In 1994 Bill Gates bought the Codex Leicester for $30.8 million. Topics of the 18 page manuscript include:

an explanation of why fossils can be found on mountains. Hundreds of years before plate tectonics became accepted scientific theory, Leonardo believed that mountains had previously formed sea beds, and were gradually lifted until they formed mountains.

the movement of water. This is the main topic of the Codex. Among other things, Leonardo wrote about the flow of water in rivers, and how it is affected by different obstacles put in its way. From his observations he made recommendations about bridge construction and erosion.

the luminosity of the moon. Leonardo speculated that the moon's surface is covered by water which reflects light from the sun, and explains that the crescent moon comes from sunlight reflected off Earth. Waves on the water's surface cause the light to be reflected in many directions, explaining why the moon is not as bright as the sun. Leonardo da Vinci had explained planetshine one hundred years before the German astronomer, Johannes Kepler, proved it.