Parachute
The word parachute comes from the French words 'para' and 'chute'. Used together, they mean 'to shield a fall'. Parachutes had been first imagined and sketched by Leonardo da Vinci. They were reinvented in 1783 by a French chemist, Louis Lenormand, who was also the first to make a parachute jump.
The material of the parachute has changed a lot since it was invented. But the basic design was not changed until the 1930s. Originally made from canvas, parachutes were later fashioned from silk.
Today, parachutes are made from 'rip-stop' nylon that is woven with extra thick thread at regular intervals, creating a pattern of small squares. These squares keep small tears from spreading.
