伦敦科学博物馆展览呈现达芬奇奇思妙想发明创意

 

伦敦科学博物馆展览呈现达芬奇奇思妙想发明创意

It took a whole day for a team of technicians at London's Science Museum to assemble a life-size model of a construction crane, built according to da Vinci's 15th-century drawings.

伦敦科学博物馆的这个技术小组用了一整天才将实物大小的一个工程起重机模型组装完成，它是根据达芬奇于十五世纪所画的草图制作而成。

A quick demonstration¹ testified to its efficiency in moving heavy objects.

随后人们对它搬运重物的功能进行了简短的测试。

The genesis of some of the devices we use today can be seen in sketches² that da Vinci made.

我们今时今日使用的许多设备都可以在达芬奇的发明草图中找到踪影。

For instance, this wind-powered chariot was never built, but it incorporated gears, somethingthat we use every day in our cars.

比如达芬奇曾经设计的一款风力驱动四轮车尽管从未脱离纸上变为现实，但它包含的齿轮却是我们的现代汽车每天都在使用的传动装置。

"It is the drawing, the understanding and the imagination that is important."

“至关重要的是这张草图，人们的理解及达芬奇那无与伦比的想象力。”

Fascinated by nature's solutions to complicated mechanical problems, such as birds' flight,da Vinci envisioned contraptions along the lines of the bat's skeleton. They did not work, but the basic principle behind his parachute or the helicopter is still valid³.

对于复杂机械问题达芬奇则通过大自然的解决方法，比如鸟类的飞行原理，他曾经萌生出发明一种类似于蝙蝠骨架的飞行装置。尽管并未成功，但他的降落伞或直升机所涉及的基本原理至今仍具有重要意义。

"He said nature made the most perfect inventions. There is nothing superfluous⁴, there is nothing lacking."

“他曾说大自然带来的都是完美的发明。一点也不多，一点也不少。”

Another revolutionary idea was a leather diving suit, not much different than today's heavydiving gear, together with air supply hoses and waist ballast.

达芬奇的另一项具有革命意义的发明创意是皮制潜水服，它与现代潜水服相差无异，都有用于提供空气的软管和配重腰带。

Studying mechanical principles, da Vinci designed many useful devices, such as this machinefor twisting ropes or a crane used to build canals, that greatly improved the efficiency ofRenaissance craftsmen⁵.

达芬奇通过研究机械原理，设计出如用来捻绳的机器或挖掘沟渠的起重机等许多非常有用的设备，极大地提升了文艺复兴时期工匠的工作效率。

"It shows an aspect of Leonardo's sheer fertility of thinking, this extraordinaryinventiveness. Whether he is inventing disciples⁶ for a last supper or a flying machine, he has got this amazing,amazing imagination."

“这从另一个方面证明了达芬奇的创造力，证明了他无与伦比的创造能力。无论是《最后的晚餐》抑或是飞行器，都体现出了他无与伦比的想象力。”

Da Vinci's rotating 33-barrel cannon⁷ never left the drawing board, but five centuries later, itevolved into multiple-rocket launchers.

达芬奇的33管旋转加农炮虽然没有留下草图，但五个世纪后，这项发明逐渐演变进化成了多火箭发射器。

The exhibition at the London Science Museum will run until September 4. It shows once more how much the great scientist, artist and inventor was ahead of his time.

伦敦科学博物馆的此次达芬奇发明展览将会持续到9月4日。这次展览再一次向世人展现了这位集科学家、艺术家及发明家于一身的天才是如何领先于那个时代的。

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 sketches   

n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概

参考例句：

• The artist is making sketches for his next painting. 画家正为他的下一幅作品画素描。
• You have to admit that these sketches are true to life. 你得承认这些素描很逼真。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

4 superfluous   

adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的

参考例句：

• She fined away superfluous matter in the design. 她删去了这图案中多余的东西。
• That request seemed superfluous when I wrote it.我这样写的时候觉得这个请求似乎是多此一举。

5 craftsmen   

n. 技工

参考例句：

• rugs handmade by local craftsmen 由当地工艺师手工制作的小地毯
• The craftsmen have ensured faithful reproduction of the original painting. 工匠保证要复制一幅最接近原作的画。

6 disciples   

n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一

参考例句：

• Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. 犹大是耶稣十二门徒之一。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• "The names of the first two disciples were --" “最初的两个门徒的名字是——” 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

7 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。