Stair climb: In the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland, a staggering staircase runs directly beside the Niesenbahn mountain railway, climbing all the way from the valley to the peak of Mount Niesen. Built for railway maintenance, this service stairway is the world's longest, with more than 11,000 steps rising about 1,670 metres. Its zigzag path closely hugs the tracks, creating a dramatic and memorable ascent up the steep mountain slope. The staircase is closed most of the time, except during an annual race that challenges determined participants to reach the summit on foot. For everyone else, the railway offers the same breathtaking panoramic views without the grueling climb.

Pavement clock: In New York City, an unusual clock has been keeping time beneath people's feet for generations, near the corner of Maiden Lane and Broadway in Lower Manhattan. The first version was installed outside the Barthman jewellery store in the 1890s, designed to stand out in a city still adjusting to electric light. Unlike typical street clocks, this one was set into the sidewalk itself, carefully protected by glass and illuminated at night. Later, the jump-hour design was replaced with a more traditional round face, which remains visible today. When photographer Ida Wyman captured it in the 1940s, her image turned a clever marketing idea into a lasting icon of New York's streetscape.

Bird ingenuity: Flocks of sulfur-crested cockatoos in Sydney, Australia, have been observed mastering an unlikely skill working outdoor drinking fountains for their own refreshment. Using their claws, they perch on the spring-loaded handle and push with their weight until a steady water flow begins. The task takes effort, balance, and coordination, and many tries end without success, but persistence often wins them a drink. Remarkably, groups of birds sometimes gather nearby, appearing to line up politely as each one waits for a chance. Researchers think the appeal could be the cleaner taste compared with streams, the reduced risk of predators, or simply the enjoyment of figuring out a challenge.

Plastic breakthrough: Scientists in Japan have engineered a new plastic that disappears when exposed to seawater, turning into compounds that can be safely absorbed by surrounding marine life. Built from a salt-linked polymer, the material is strong enough for packaging yet is unstable in salty environments, where it dissolves much faster than conventional plastics. Unlike the bottles and containers people use every day, this version avoids releasing toxins, microplastics, or harmful gases. It can also naturally break down in soil within weeks, thanks to natural sodium content. Interest from manufacturers already is steadily growing, as the invention offers a clear path toward reducing global plastic pollution.

Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known. ~ Oscar Wilde

Joy comes, grief goes, we know not how. ~ James Russell Lowell

Free notices for not for profits chris@coffeenews.co.nz

1. Gutties is Scottish slang for shoes, eyes, or candles?

2. What unique feature of a bird's skeletal system allows it to fly?

3. What is the capital of Algeria?

4. Who wrote the play The Cherry Orchard?

5. A perennial plant blooms and dies in one growing season - T/F?

Lava glow: The lava lamp's creator, Edward Craven Walker, once noticed a quirky homemade egg timer that used heated liquids rising and falling in a container. Fascinated by the effect, he turned the idea into the famous lamp of drifting, glowing wax.

Sun boxes: In the 1700s, experimenter Horace de Saussure nested layers of glass around a dark base to capture daylight. Hours later, the sealed chamber grew hot enough to bake food, marking one of the earliest attempts at cooking with sunlight.

Wooden wheels: The first bicycles were little more than wooden frames with two wheels, known as dandy horses. Riders pushed them along with their feet, gliding on smooth streets until cities began banning them for colliding with pedestrians.

Skipped leap: Most leap years add a day every four years, but not always. To keep the calendar from drifting, we skip the extra day every 100 years unless the year is divisible by 400. That rare exception helps keep our timing a little more in sync with the sun.

Door spin: Revolving doors weren't just about saving energy or keeping out drafts. They also were designed to sidestep awkward etiquette about who enters first. Later, their clever design proved useful in helping buildings stay quieter and more energy efficient.

What do you call a man down in a hole? Doug.

How do you make a tuna melt? Pay it a nice compliment!

I'd tell you my autumn joke, but you probably wouldn't fall for it.

Passenger: It's my first time in a plane. Will you bring the plane down safely? Pilot: I've never left one up there yet.

Old doctors never die, they just lose their patience.

1. Shoes 2. Hollow bones 3. Algiers 4. Anton Chekhov 5. False, annual