Dear Matthew Alice: My mother showed me a trick to do with a big shell she has, and I want to know how it works. When I put the shell on my ear, I can hear the ocean that it came from. How does that ...

(PhysOrg.com) -- Archaeologists and acousticians strike an unusual partnership to understand the mesmerizing role of conches in the temple culture around Peru's Chavin. The sound is ancient and eerie.

It's a lovely experience to walk on the beach, and it can be made even lovelier by finding a large empty seashell and putting it to your ear, and hearing the sounds of the ocean. It also gives ...