People often think of art and science as completely separate from each other. But centuries ago, Leonardo da Vinci proved that these subjects have a lot in common. His excellent drawing skills allowed him to record scientific observations—such as how birds fly—in ways he couldn’t have with words alone.  Today, the combination of science, technology, engineering, art (and design), and mathematics is abbreviated as STEAM. Artists and scientists both make observations and try to describe the world around them. Centuries after Leonardo explored flight in drawings and diagrams, engineers used many of the same scientific concepts to build the first airplanes. In the 21st century, engineers still find inspiration in Leonardo’s diagrams. For example, the German company Festo recently developed a flying robot called the BionicFlyingFox. From the Italian Renaissance to present day, STEAM paves the way for exciting new innovations.