Abbas Ibn Firnas was an inventor and scientist who lived in 9th century Spain. In 852, he demonstrated an early parachute by jumping from a high place and using a wing-like cloak to slow his descent, sustaining only minor injuries. In 875, at age 65, he attempted the first human flight by launching himself from a mountain using a hang-glider-like craft of his own design. He managed to circle back to the launch point but crashed upon landing due to not including a mechanism for slowing descent. Ibn Firnas made other contributions including inventing a water clock and developing techniques for glassmaking and lenses.