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This week’s new questions

Why are humans able to find aesthetic beauty in inanimate objects? Can acquired tastes become unacquired if they no longer offer survival benefits?

18 February 2026

Âé¶¹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Matt Mawson/Millennium Images, UK

From art to architecture, and even cars, why are humans able to find aesthetic beauty in inanimate objects?

Scott Fuller
London, UK

 

 

3BHT28Y A young woman in an elegant baroque gown enjoys a delicate treat, embodying historical luxury and modern delight

Roman Samborskyi/Alamy

Can acquired tastes become unacquired if they no longer offer survival benefits?

Celine Szoges Schwartz
Thornbury, Ontario, Canada

 

Last Word is Âé¶¹´«Ã½’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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