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Last Word is Â鶹´«Ã½â€™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
Why can squirrels run straight down trees? And could my cat do the same thing if it had to?
Robert Morley
London, UK
Ju.Hrozian/Shutterstock
Why are at least four faces required to make a flat-surfaced solid in 3D? And does a similar lower limit apply in higher dimensions?
John Corey
Melrose, New York, US
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