Explainers
Explainer
Science
Trees have biological clocks too. Here’s how their leaves change colour
A red-golden carpet is unfurling across the more temperate corners of our continent. Here’s what trees – and ‘leaf peepers’ – do in autumn.
- by Jackson Graham and Angus Holland
Latest
Explainer
Oral health
‘A prevailing fixation’: Why do we love straight, white teeth?
Teeth are essential to everyday life – and they carry our secrets long after we’re gone. What do they know? (And what makes a “perfect” smile?)
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
Public speaking
He’s best man but is dreading the wedding. Here’s how he’s beating his fear of public speaking
It’s anxiety-inducing even for confident types. Why the fear that goes with talking in front of others? How can you overcome it?
- by Jackson Graham
Explainer
Retirement living
‘Starting older’: Why we need a new word for retirement
Retire these days and you’re not so much crawling to a finish line as embarking on a new chapter. Is there a right time (given it’s not just about money) and what should you expect? We ask retirees for their insights.
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
Real life
‘Crucial for memory’: Why facts stick when you write them down
It might not be a window to your soul but it’s better for your brain. Why writing – once an ancient “handicraft” – is still worth doing well.
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
World politics
Despot, radical … peacemaker? The millennial prince and the Middle East ‘moonshot’
Reformer, tyrant or both? Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is reshaping his kingdom. What does it mean for the world? And how might he be key to a ‘moonshot’ Israel-Palestine peace deal?
- by Sherryn Groch
Series
Science
Brain worms, dark matter and stranger things. We explain
We put the natural world under a microscope, from rogue waves and zombie fungus to colliding atoms and meteors.
Explainer
Religion
A quarter of the world’s people observe Ramadan. What’s it for and what are the rules?
Some 800,000 Australians and many more overseas observe Ramadan. What is the purpose of this holy month?
- by Maher Mughrabi
Explainer
China relations
‘They want this, all of it’: The global arms race you can’t see – and China wants the edge
Microchips are key to powering the world. What will it take to win in this vital (and secretive) multi-billion-dollar world?
- by Eryk Bagshaw, Jackson Graham and Daniel Ceng
Explainer
US Votes 2024
Trump is on a tear. Super Tuesday has all but sealed it for him
The last time a former US president made a comeback was 1892. That’s just one reason these primaries are proving to be a wild ride for the Republicans.
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
Missing person
‘Obviously lost. SORRY’: Madeleine’s only text as a bush ordeal unfolded
It took just a few wrong steps for Madeleine, 73, to lose sight of a remote walking track. Three days later, as searchers combed heavy forest, time was running out.
- by Jackson Graham