Explainers
Explainer
Indigenous Voice
‘A just coexistence’: What might a First Nations treaty look like?
Many countries have treaties with Indigenous peoples. Australia doesn’t, although some states have already moved towards establishing their own. What might they cover and could a federal one eventuate?
- by Jackson Graham
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Explainer
Health
It starts as an itch then the urge grows: What’s it like to have Tourette’s?
Most people with Tourette’s actually don’t swear, but their tics can be hard to control. Still, many succeed in reframing Tourette’s as just one part of who they are. What’s it like to live with this disorder?
- by Jackson Graham
Explainer
Renewables
The magnetic appeal of induction cooktops (plus other ways to go electric)
With gas now on the nose, householders are switching to green electricity. Where do you start? And how far can you go?
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
Advertising
Never heard of ‘drip pricing’? You’ve probably still fallen for it
They pop up just before you hit pay – fees and other add-ons that eat away at your “bargain”. How does drip pricing work?
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
Air travel
What’s the fastest way to board passengers on a plane?
And what about getting off at the other end? Astrophysicists and mathematicians have turned their minds to the question.
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
Industrial relations
The world’s biggest actors are still on strike. What are the sticking points?
US film and TV production has come to a standstill as Hollywood’s actors and writers go on strike. They say this is a moment of truth. What do they want?
- by Karl Quinn
Explainer
Cancer
Why is cancer so hard to cure?
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, despite big breakthroughs in treatments. What makes it so very tough to treat?
- by Kate Aubusson, Jackson Graham and Felicity Lewis
Explainer
Sleep
What’s yawning for – and is it really contagious?
People who study yawning, known as chasmologists, say just hearing about a yawn can trigger one. How come? The question has puzzled us for millennia – and is still wide open.
- by Jackson Graham and Lachlan Abbott
Explainer
Earthquakes
Victoria is being squeezed, literally. Is it now an earthquake hotspot?
There seem to have been more earthquakes than usual lately. Why?
- by Liam Mannix
Explainer
Indigenous Voice
Why is the Voice referendum on a knife-edge?
The Yes campaign for a Voice to parliament is gathering momentum. What do its critics say? What do its supporters hope it will achieve? What are the next steps?
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
Putin's Russia
Everything you need to know about Wagner, the ‘shadow army’ behind Putin uprising
The Ukraine invasion launched “Putin’s private army” into the spotlight – then they launched an extraordinary coup against the Russian army itself. Who are Wagner Group, the most notorious mercenaries in the world?
- by Sherryn Groch