51¶¯Âþ

Last word

51¶¯Âþ's popular Last Word series gives readers the opportunity to answer each other's questions about everyday science phenomena, from the shape of scones to the evolutionary history of toenails. To answer a question or ask a new one, email lastword@newscientist.com

cemetery in Germany with old graves; Shutterstock ID 1230446320; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Last Word

What would be the best way to fossilise my body after I die?

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2GPFM5E Child in green jacket looking at rainbow over an ocean

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This week’s new questions

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Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) swimming at water surface, split-level, New Guinea, Indo-pacific

Last Word

How do crocodiles maintain their power despite being mostly still?

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New Scientist Default Image

Last Word

This week’s new questions

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The star-forming nebula W51 is one of the largest

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How could an infinite universe arise from a finite initial state?

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Closeup portrait, senior mature man, disgust face, pinch nose, something stinks, very bad smell, isolated outdoors outside background. Negative emotion, facial expression; Shutterstock ID 640783057; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Last Word

Does anything actually cure hiccups?

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FTTG61 Ball of white heavy thread isolated on white

Last Word

This week’s new questions

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Close up of hand holding compass business navigate, passing through the crisis and growth in the economic.; Shutterstock ID 2115345185; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Last Word

At what height do navigation compasses stop working?

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Why do little children run everywhere instead of walking? (continued)

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Why do little children run everywhere instead of walking? (continued)

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This photograph is of the sky over north London on Wednesday 15th June at 8:13 am. The picture Is cropped to centre the image. The effect was not due to camera or glass of vehicle photo was taken from and looked identical to naked eye. What can have caused the contrails to end so evenly? No aircraft were immediately apparent, it did turn out to be a remarkable hot day. I am assuming my passenger?s suggestion of a glitch in the matrix leading to an incomplete sky rendering is incorrect- can you or your readers provide a more sensible explanation

Last Word

This week’s new questions

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Young women swim breaststroke, wearing swimming caps and goggles.

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Slow breaststroke vs faster front crawl - which is more efficient?

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E6BAMW Green peas

Last Word

Why are peas green when they grow in the dark inside a pod?

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