Abstract: A fountain having a spherical element over which water flows is disclosed. The sphere includes an upper pole, a lower pole, a polar axis connecting the upper and lower poles, an equatorial plane, and a sphere surface. The sphere is mounted in the fountain so that the upper pole forms the apex of the sphere. A water outlet is provided at the upper pole for providing a flow of water over the surface of the sphere. The surface of the sphere is provided with a plurality of annular grooves circumscribing the polar axis, and extending above and below the equatorial plane for a predetermined distance towards each pole. Each annular groove has a radius of predetermined size, with the annular grooves located on the lower hemisphere being canted downwardly and inwardly from the equatorial plane so that the water or other liquid will flow slowly, evenly and continuously downhill over the surface of the sphere from groove to groove to the lower pole, without shedding or loss beneath the equatorial plane.