Scientists and Scoundrels: A Book of Hoaxes

As if history and nature had not provided wonders enough, through the ages humans themselves have contrived more marvels to deceive one another. Sometimes they have concocted evidence when none was available to prove pet theories
sometimes their intention has been to impress or defraud
sometimes they have acted merely for sport. Robert Silverberg tells the stories of a baker's dozen of these scientific hoaxers in a lively, good-humored book that ranges through time and across continents. Here are perpetual-motion machines and space rockets, men on the moon and serpents in the sea. The rogues' gallery is a varied one: Dr. Mesmer, who cast his hypnotic spell on eighteenth-century Paris
Charles Dawson, whose Piltdown Man challenged evolution
Dr. Cook, with his tale of "discovering" the North Pole
and many others. These are fascinating stories and more than just entertainment. The author explains the scientific background against which the hoaxes appeared and the detective work that led to their exposure. The schemers teach us to be alert, to challenge the evidence, and to appreciate the healthy skepticism that characterizes the scientific method. Robert Silverberg is the author of numerous books, including At Winter's End and The Queen of Springtime, both available in Bison Books editions, and Far Horizons: All New Tales from the Greatest Worlds of Science Fiction.