
Why do humans so readily adopt fiction into our lives, and feel emotion about characters as though they were someone close to us in real life?
Dave Neale
Bedford, UK

If the sun suddenly disappeared, how long would life on Earth last, from humans and plants to subterranean bacteria?
Garry Trethewey
Arkaroola, South Australia
Last Word is New Å®ÉúСÊÓÆµâ€™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.comTo answer this question – or ask a new one – email lastword@newscientist.com.
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