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This week’s new questions

Why do seals have such cute faces? When we breathe, the dominant nasal passage seems to swap sides. What causes this and why does it happen?

11 March 2026

Why do seals have such cute faces? I understand why dogs evolved to have cute faces, but seals aren’t typical pets.

Lisa Gray
Oakland, California, US

 

nose

When we breathe, the dominant nasal passage seems to swap sides. What causes this and why does it happen?

Natalie Grant
,
Caloundra, Queensland, Australia

 

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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