Abbas Ibn Firnas

Abbas Ibn Firnas (810-887) was born in Izn-Rand Onda Al-Andalus (Ronda, Spain) but lived in the Emirate of Cordoba which was one of the major centers of learning in the Muslim world. He was an inventor, engineer, aviator, physician, Arabic poet, and Andalusian musician. He made the first successful attempt at human flight in 875 in the city of Qutuba Al-Andalus (Cordoba, Spain). He constructed a pair of wings out of silk, wood and feathers and jumped off a cliff. Many witnesses said he glided for many minutes. He was also an astronomer who built a mechanized planetarium with revolving planets. He studied mechanical devices and timepieces. His interest in crystals, quartz and sand would lead him to melt sand into glass allowing him to create Andalusian drinking glasses. He experimented with lenses and their magnifying qualities and anything else that came from glass. In 1976, In recognition of the accomplishments of Abbas ibn Firnas, the Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (IAU/WGPSN) named a moon crater Ibn Firnas in his honor.

ASPECT       POINTS                       

Science           4           Inventor

Law                 0                      

Medicine         4            Physician                                  

Business         0                      

Philosophy      0                                      

Art                   2            Poet, Andalusian musician

Travel              0                                              

Sports             1             Aviator

Beauty            0                       

Family             0                       

Fame              1                        

Civic               0                        

Career            1                        

Wealth            0                        

Leader            0                      

Humanity        0                       

 TOTAL         13             Polymath