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This week’s new questions

When the sun engulfs Earth, might the remnants be recycled to form star dust that will become new planets? Why do some of us enjoy exercising and others don’t?

20 May 2026

2BXTXNE Red giant star. Sun. Earth landscape. Moon. Venus. Solar system

Aaron Alien/Alamy

When the sun eventually expires and swells to engulf Earth, might the remnants of landfill and deeply buried nuclear waste be recycled to form star dust that will become new planets or life forms?

Steve Haines
Southampton, UK

 

PEBWF3 Elderly Chinese Woman Stretching in the XinJinYuan Park, Xian, China

George Oze/Alamy

Why do some of us enjoy exercising and others don’t?

Richard Grimmer
Trowbridge, Wiltshire, UK

 

Last Word is èƵ’s long-running series in which readers give scientific answers to each other’s questions, ranging from the minutiae of everyday life to absurd astronomical hypotheticals. To answer a question or ask a new one, email lastword@newscientist.com

To answer this question – or ask a new one – email lastword@newscientist.com.

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