Till the 1500s, scientists thought that erections in human males were caused by air which was inflated in the penis by the male body through some unknown mechanics.
Of course, scientists were not allowed to dissect a human body because the catholic church strongly condemned this idea — the dissected dead persion would look terrible when arriving in heaven.
But there was this guy who dissected the dead anyway.
In secret.
And it was the very same guy who correctly explained the human male erection due to his deep anatomical knowledge and formidable intelligence, and he was the very first to get this right:
That would be a vast amount of air, that which enlarges and elongates the penis and makes it as dense as wood, so that the whole great quantity of air in the nerves would not be sufficient for reduction to such a density; not only the air of the nerves, but if the body were filled with it, it would not suffice.
I have seen … dead men who have the member erected, for many die thus, especially those hanged. Of these [penises] I have seen the anatomy, all of them having great density and hardness, and being quite filled by a large quantity of blood.
The year was 1477, and he had essentially nailed it.
His name ?
Da Vinci, dear friend.
Leonardo di ser Piero Da Vinci.
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