Ernesto Michahelles, known as Thayaht, was born in Florence in 1893 and spent his childhood and youth in the villa of his great grandfather, the renowned American sculptor, Hiram Powers.

In 1915 he began to dedicate himself to artistic research, but was interrupted by a serious illness.

In 1918 he left for Paris where he came into contact with the famous fashion house of Madeleine Vionnet, in Rue de Rivoli, for which he created their logo.

In 1919, together with his brother Ruggero, he designed and launched through the daily paper "La Nazione", the overall called "la tuta"an innovative and androgenous article of clothing that was practical, stylish and suitable for everyone. In the same year he adopted his pseudonym, the palindrome TAYAT, later changing into THAYAHT.

In 1920, following the success of his personal exhibition, he left for the United States where he spent short time in Boston and Cambridge. While in the United States he attended courses at Harvard University on colour technique, dynamic geometry and the numeric absolute.
The following year he re-confirmed his collaboration with the Atelier of Madame Vionnet who offered the artist a contract as designer to assure the exclusive use of his creations. This collaboration will last until december 12, 1924. 

In 1923 participates at the "Prima esposizione Internazionale di Arti Decorative" in Monza he presented several pieces of furniture designed by himself and placed on show with sculptures by Antonio Maraini. In the meantime he bought a small villa in Versilia, at Marina di Pietrasanta, which he named "Casa Gialla" (Yellow House).

During the years 1924-25, together with his brother Ruggero, he helped form the Prima Corporazione di Belle Arti di Firenze, for which he designed the modern and lively banner. During the same period, he won, with his brother, the competition "Concorso Nazionale di Scenografia" for the new stage setting of Aida” (1924).
 
In 1927 participates at the " III Esposizione Internazionale delle Arti Decorative di Monza " with a personal display in which he presented furniture, carpets, lamps and of synthesized shape which, through the room was his sculpture in pietra serena of the "Violinista".

In 1928  Thayaht was requested to design new men's hats by the "Gruppo Nazionale Fascista della Paglia ".

In 1929 he published his designs in the official “Magazine of the National Fascist Federation of Clothing Industry” called 'Moda'. The same year he was presented to Marinetti by Primo Conti. Marinetti was so enthusiastic about his works, especially the iron/steel effigy of 'Il Duce' entitled "DUX" that he introduced Thayaht to Mussolini. On that occasion Thayaht offered his sculpture to Il Duce.
In October of the same year, at the exhibition entitled 'Thirtythree Futurists' in the Galleria Pesaro in Milan, THAYAHT presented 3 sculptures and 15 paintings.

In 1930 he participated at the "International Exposition in Barcelona" where he won the Gold Medal for the creation of his patented 'thayahtite', an ingenious alloy of alluminium and other metals. Meanwhile he presented a display case of jewellery in silver and steel alloy at the International Exhibition of Jewellers

In 1931, he was invited to the “I Quadriennale d'Arte  Nazionale di Roma " in Rome and in February organised, together with his painter friend Antonio Marasco, a Futurist exhibition at the Galleria d'Arte in Florence, a display of painting, sculpture, aereo-painting and decorative arts. The catalogue was presented by Marinetti. The same year, with his brother Ruggero, he worked on the draft of an architectural document 'Brevetto per Casolaria', the “Serial House”, which lead to a discussion of Futurist sculpture with Ezra Pound and promulgated a new formula for representing solids in movement in three dimension.

In 1932 he was once more invited to the Biennale Internazionale d'Arte di Venezia. He also formulated with his brother the 'Manifesto for the Transformation of Male clothing".

In 1934 and 1936 he exhibited at the Alla Biennale Internazionale d'Arte di Venezia.  After the War, following differences with the Florentine Fascist group, Thayaht retired to Versilia.

In 1945, he began to develop interest in studies in astronomy and science, particularly the phenomena of the UFO.

In 1954 he founded the CIRNOS (Centre for the Collection of Information on Spatial Observations) which was based at his  villa in Marina di Pietrasanta. 

In 1955 he published the first report on the sightings of UFO’s in Italy and in 1958, the second report where he announced the increased phenomena of sightings of UFO's in Italy and worldwide.

Thayaht died in Marina di Pietrasanta in 1959.