Weird science, quirks of nature and health issues explained
Our Explainers dive deep into life’s mysteries. Journey to the far reaches of the universe and satisfy your curiosity along the way.
Explainer
This neuroscientist accidentally discovered he was a psychopath. How can you pick them?
People are often happy to diagnose their “psycho” boss or “sociopathic” in-laws but what do these conditions actually mean? How are they detected? And what’s it like to live with them?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Scientists thought these monster waves were myth. Now they’re racing to understand them
These are the real sea monsters: waves so tall they can block out the sky. What happens when waves go “rogue”? Why do they strike out of nowhere? And how do sailors survive them?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Side to side, up and down, all in a spin. What’s vertigo?
Vertigo can last for hours, days or longer – and it’s more common than you might think. Why does it happen?
- by Samantha Selinger-Morris
Explainer
Being vain, self-centred or a jerk doesn’t make you a narcissist. So what does?
It’s a common putdown, but what does “narcissist” really mean – and what harm could a narcissist possibly do?
- by Samantha Selinger-Morris
Explainer
At 40, Jim collapsed with a stroke. Would you know the signs?
Strokes strike young and old. In most cases, time is critical in getting help. How can you tell? And what are the treatments?
- by Jackson Graham
Explainer
A killer fungus is 2023’s newest villain – horrifying, but how real is the science?
A brain-eating pathogen wreaks havoc in a new sci-fi TV show – which is so far-fetched, right? Well, not entirely.
- by Stuart Layt and Liam Mannix
Explainer
What is deja vu, and what’s happening in the brain when we feel it?
Scientists are still untangling why we get deja vu. But there’s much it could teach us about the brain and the nature the memory.
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Could we ever journey to the centre of the Earth?
We’ve landed humans on the moon but we’ve barely scratched the surface of our own planet. What lies beneath, and what mysteries remain?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
‘That sounds a bit made up’: Why frozen shoulder is real (and painful)
First comes the pain, then the immobility. Here’s what experts know about this mysterious condition.
- by Jackson Graham
Explainer
Why do men die younger than women?
Is it biology or man-made factors that lead to men dying younger in every age group until old age? And why does male risk-taking involve much more than fast cars and extreme sport?
- by Jackson Graham
Explainer
How can you tell if you’re having a heart attack?
One in every 25 deaths in Australia is from heart attack. More than half will be sudden. What are the signs?
- by Sophie Aubrey
Explainer
What’s ADHD and why are more adults being diagnosed with it?
Being unable to focus can feel like a normal symptom of modern life. But ADHD is more than being distracted.
- by Mary Ward
Explainer
The terror can flood back. What is trauma and how can it get ‘stuck’ in the mind?
Faced with a life-threatening event, we fight, flee or freeze. But the horror can remain, splitting life into ‘before and after’. Why? And what can help?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
It’s so much more than a headache. What happens in the brain during a migraine?
Auras. Electric waves. Strange food cravings. For a condition that affects so many, migraine remains mysterious. What are the latest treatments?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
‘At one with the universe’: How can psychedelic drugs help treat suffering?
The active ingredient in magic mushrooms is one of the “trippy” drugs showing promise in treating depression, end-of-life terror and more. What might psychedelics reveal?
- by Samantha Selinger-Morris
Explainer
What does jet lag do to your brain and body – and can you beat it?
Circadian rhythms are not unique to humans. But jetting around the world is. Is there anything you can do to avoid jet lag?
- by Katherine Scott
Explainer
Scientists spoke to people in their sleep. They responded. What’s lucid dreaming?
Some of us “wake up” in our dreams, and can even direct the action, Inception style. What is this strange state of dreamwalking? And can you learn to do it?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
‘I wanted to see my dad again’: Is time travel possible?
Marty McFly went Back to the Future but what do scientists think about time travel in the real world? Is it possible? And what are the rules of time and space?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
What’s it like to recall every single day of your life? Is photographic memory real?
It’s a classic movie trope: the spy who recalls vivid detail at a glance. But is it possible? And what’s “highly superior autobiographical memory”?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
‘Dead cells all over the place’: What happens when the sun hits your skin?
We know we should be sun smart but what does that mean? How does sun cause skin cancer? And isn’t sun good for vitamin D?
- by Samantha Selinger-Morris