This week’s new questions

If two particles were entangled and one fell into a black hole, what happens to the other? And are “space ports” that spin slowly to create artificial gravity feasible?

6 August 2025

Quantum correlation- 3d rendered image of quantum entanglement. Abstract background. Quantum mechanics background. Atomic structure, large collider, CERN concept. Muon Spinning particle, muon g-2, Higgs boson light speed neon stripes abstract image. Collision of Particles in the Abstract Collider. — koto_feja/Getty Images

Last Word is �鶹��ý’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

If two particles were entangled and one fell into a black hole, what happens to the other? What might we learn from this?

Christina Cheers

Sunbury, Victoria, Australia

3D illustration of A space station flies through the vastness of space. Spacecraft, spaceship design. High quality digital space sci-fi art in 5K - realistic visualization. Render; Shutterstock ID 2565680455; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: - — Vadim Sadovski/Shutterstock

Sci-fi shows often feature “space ports” spinning slowly to create artificial gravity. Is this feasible, and how soon?

Perry Brooks

Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada

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