Changes

====What was Leonardo 's contribution to Renaissance science and scienceengineering?====The great Florentine Da Vinci was fascinated by science, engineering, and mechanics. He wrote about these subjects copiously in his notebooks. His theory of knowledge was based on the study of nature. Leonardo was also intrigued by the human body and he is believed to have dissected up to 30 human bodies and made many anatomical drawings.  Moreover, he was a great observer and he made many empirical observations that were insightful, in areas as diverse as hydraulic engineering and town planning. This emphasis on empiricism was radical at the time because the authority of the Church and the Ancient Classical authors was unchallenged and the received wisdom .<ref>Randall, John Herman. "The place of Leonardo Da Vinci in the emergence of modern science." Journal of the History of Ideas (1953): 191-202 </ref>. The Florentine’s Leonardo's ideas at this time are were more akin to modern ideas on science and learning.  However, his influence was limited by the power of the Church. For example, Leonardo could not publish his findings on his anatomical studies because the dissection of bodies was considered sinful by the Catholic hierarchy and he could have even prosecuted by the civil authorities. This is why he was forced to keep many of his discoveries and ideas secret. The Florentine wrote his ideas in his notebooks using mirror writing so that they could not be easily deciphered.  As a result, much of his scientific achievements and observations were not disclosed until a century or more after his death. If the Florentine Da Vinci had published his work on science, such as his study of the heart, the he would ‘have advanced the march of science by a whole century’’ century.’’ <ref> Reti, Ladislao. "Leonardo da Vinci and the graphic arts: the early invention of relief-etching." The Burlington Magazine 113, no. 817 (1971): 189</ref>. However, during  During his lifetime Leonardo did encourage some to privilege observation and experiment over the teachings of the Church and the Classics, which was to be very influential critical in the later phase of the Renaissance. Leonardo could be said to have helped to change the intellectual environment of the Renaissance to one that was much more modern in outlook.