The Seven Follies of Science [2nd ed.] A popular account of the most famous scientific impossibilities and the attempts which have been made to solve them. To which is added a small budget of interesting paradoxes, illusions, and marvels

"The Seven Follies of Science [2nd ed.]" by John Phin is a book from the early 1900s that discusses famous scientific puzzles thought to be unsolvable, and about how people tried to solve them. Topics covered include things like turning a circle into a square, creating machines that run forever, and even making magical stones. Written for normal people to grasp, the book explores why these impossible quests have captured people's imaginations, even when they're doomed to fail. The book gives historical background and explains how people have been drawn to these challenges because of curiosity. In many cases, people are driven to seek to solve them out of sheer curiosity, misguided confidence, and how error can be used to learn. The overall tone of the book attempts to illustrate a light source on the intersection of human curiosity, error, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge in science.