Leonardo da Vinci's 14 living descendants identified after decades-long research

Around14 livingdescendants of the family of the Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci have been identified afterdecades-long research intohispurported remains.

Published in ‘Human Evolution’ journal this month,the findings have resulted from a new genealogical tree going through 21 generations and four branches.

In order to protect their identities, the studyprovided little information about the living descendants. “Theindividuals vary in age from 1 to 85,”Project researchers Agnese Sabato and AlessandroVezzositold CNN.

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The study is a part of the Leonardo Da Vinci DNA Project. The projectaims to confirm the remains thought to be his and to 'better understand his extraordinary talents and visual acuity through genetic associations’.

The researchers, who carried out thestudy, said the results are 'eagerly awaited from an historical viewpoint’. They said,itwill help academics to'scientifically explore the roots of his genius, to find information on his physical prowess and on his possibly precocious aging, on his being left-handed and his health and possible hereditary sicknesses, and to explain certain peculiar sensory perceptions, like his extraordinary visual quality and synesthesia’.

Historical documents, which are presentin public and private archives and direct accounts by Leonardo's family members descendants led to these findings.