THE real ‘Da Vinci Code’ is close to finally being solved after a major scientific breakthrough.
Experts are racing to crack the mystery of DNA, death and burial tied to legendary artist, scientist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci.
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The world was captivated by 2003 novel and 2006 movie The Da Dinvci Code.
It saw Tom Hanks playing a professor looking to uncover a religious mystery around the Holy Grail with clues hidden in Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic painting The Last Supper.
But the real Da Vinci Code that scientists are trying to solve involves mapping out the artist’s genome.
That’s the entire collection of DNA in da Vinci’s body – all of the genetic instructions needed to make and maintain him.
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Now scientists say that they’ve confirmed a male bloodline that they can date all the way back to 1331.
This family tree spans 21 generations and involves as many as 400 individuals.
And they’ve found at least six descendants who, after DNA testing, can be traced directly to Leonardo da Vinci, who was born in 1452 in Anchiano, Vinci, Florence and died in 1519.
As part of the research, the scientists have also confirmed the existence of a da Vinci family tomb, in the Church of Santa Croce in Vinci.
The experts think this may be where several of Leonardo da Vinci’s family members are buried.
That includes his grandfather Antonio, uncle Francesco, and half-brothers Antonio, Pandolfo, and Giovanni.
“Further detailed analyses are necessary to determine whether the DNA extracted is sufficiently preserved,” said David Caramelli, of the University of Florence.
“Based on the results, we can proceed with analysis of Y chromosome fragments for comparison with current descendants.”
Now scientists hope to analyse the remains in the Vinci church tombs to find a match with the Y chromosome of the living descendants.
And scientists are also hoping to look for traces left on his original works.
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This could allow scientists to fully reconstruct da Vinci’s DNA.
“Our goal in reconstructing the Da Vinci family’s lineage up to the present day,” said Alessandro Vezzosi, of the Leonardo da Vinci Heritage Association.
“While also preserving and valuing the places connected to Leonardo, is to enable scientific research on his DNA.
“Through the recovery of Leonardo’s DNA, we hope to understand the biological roots of his extraordinary visual acuity, creativity, and possibly even aspects of his health and causes of death.”
WHO WAS LEONARDO DA VINCI?
Here’s what you need to know…
- Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian artist and inventor who lived in Renassiance Italy
- He was born on 14/15 April 1452, and died at the age of 67 on May 2, 1519
- The iconic figure is often dubbed a “polymath”, because he excelled at so many fields, including drawing, painting, sculpting, science, music, mathematics, engineering, astronomy, botany, writing and history
- Da Vinci is widely considered to be one of the greatest artists of all time
- He has also been branded as the father of various fields, including palaeontology, ichnology (the study of trace fossils) and architecture
- Several modern inventions are also very loosely credited to da Vinci, including the parachute, helicopter and tank
- Da Vinci was described as having an “uenquenchable curiosity” and a “feverishly inventive imagination”
- His most famous work is the Mona Lisa, which has been on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris since 1797
- He also created The Last Supper, which is the most reproduced religious painting of all time
- His painting Salvator Mundi was sold at auction for $450.3million (£355.4million) in November 2017
- The sale to Prince Badr bin Abdullah set a new record for the most expensive painting ever sold at a public auction
- Da Vinci is believed to have died of a stroke at the manor house Clos Lucé in France in 1519
Scientists may be able to use this information to confirm da Vinci’s final resting place.
The Renaissance painter was originally said to have been buried in Amboise, France in the Saint Florentin church.
This church was severely damaged during the French Revolution.
And bones believed to belong to him were moved to the Chapel of St Hubert in Amboise.
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But there have been doubts over whether these bones really do belong to da Vinci – a puzzle that could be solved using his DNA.
So scientists are probing what remains of da Vinci in terms of his works and descendants to crack the real code.
“Even a tiny fingerprint on a page could contain cells to sequence,” says Jesse H. Ausubel, of The Rockefeller University, who is director of the DNA project.
“21st-century biology is moving the boundary between the unknowable and the unknown.
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“Soon we may gain information about Leonardo and other historical figures once believed lost forever.”