Can you really hear the ocean in a shell? — Mason of Cary, NC

Dear Mason,

Sea shells aren't the only way to hear something that sounds like waves crashing on a beach. You can hear the same sound by placing an empty cup or glass to your ear.

What's happening? Sea shells, cups, glasses or similar containers are sound chambers. They pick up and bounce around ambient (AM-bee-ent) sound waves — sounds that come from the noise around us. The chamber creates a sound that reminds us of the ocean. Still, this is a neat way to remember God's beautiful oceans if you live far from the sea.