Heron’s Fountain, aka Hero’s Fountain (Wikipedia), is named for Hero of Alexandria, a 1st-century Greek mathematician and physicist who described it in his Pneumatica. It is a kind of hydraulic novelty, in which the action of falling water causes a stream of water to spurt up higher than its source, which is counterintuitive for many. This beautiful example dates from the late 1700s and is described in detail in the online gallery of the Museo Galileo in Florence.

More:

• Science fair fun with Hero’s Fountain
• How-to Tuesday: A look back at my builds from 2008
• Build: Heron’s fountain