I'm just back from a brief visit to Prague, where I witnessed many wonderful things. Included among the small delights were these views from the Karlův most or Charles Bridge. Most sightseers' eyes will be drawn to the beautiful architecture cloaked in sunshine. But water-readers…

This just in from Dick Forte in the Bahamas... Tristan, Here is a Gooley-inspired sun dial in the southern Bahamas, just inside the tropics, 74 56.9 w, 23 06.5 n. (I call it a Gooliation, an elision of Gooley with inspiration or celebration.) The conch…

Can you work out the cause of the beach stripes in the picture above? There are 6 stages. ------------ Answer: 1. As waves break, water rushes up the beach as 'swash'. 2. This fast swash carries some flotsam of all kinds up the beach, including…