Giovanni Battista della Porta, an Italian scholar and polymath, conducted experiments on the power of steam and published his findings. His work, which built on earlier ideas, helped to spread knowledge of steam's potential throughout Europe. Della Porta's experiments were part of the broader scientific and technological ferment of the late Renaissance.

Della Porta was a key figure in the late Renaissance, a time of great scientific and literary activity. His work, which bridged the gap between magic and science, is a precursor to the scientific revolution. His ideas about harnessing steam, while still speculative, would have been known to the poets and thinkers of his time, influencing the literary culture of the period.