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Explainers

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‘A summer romance’: How the US fell in love with Kamala Harris
Explainer
US Votes 2024

‘A summer romance’: How the US fell in love with Kamala Harris

Previously written off, Kamala Harris has energised the Democratic Party and reshaped the race to the White House. But how was she shaped by her early life, what does she stand for now – and can she defeat Donald Trump?

  • by Angus Holland and Cindy Yin

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Clever birds and killer bots: What to know about swarm intelligence
Explainer
Natural world

Clever birds and killer bots: What to know about swarm intelligence

Birds, bees and ants all co-operate to solve problems with no one in charge. Here’s what humans are learning from them.

  • by Angus Holland and Jackson Graham
Houthis, Hamas and Hezbollah: who they are and what they want

Houthis, Hamas and Hezbollah: who they are and what they want

As old enmities simmer and alliances shift, tensions are ratcheting up still more in the region. Who’s who – and what’s next?

  • by Jackson Graham, Angus Holland and Cindy Yin
Dim light, failing sight: Behind this classic sign of middle-age
Explainer
Health

Dim light, failing sight: Behind this classic sign of middle-age

The menu looks foggy. The tiny instructions are a blur. It’s that time when your vision, a marvel of evolution, needs some help sharpening up. What’s going on in the eye itself? And what else could possibly go wrong?

  • by Jackson Graham
‘I am Giorgia’: Italy’s far-right leader and the confounding world of Italian politics

‘I am Giorgia’: Italy’s far-right leader and the confounding world of Italian politics

Italy’s first female PM is also the first to govern from the far right in decades. Has Giorgia Meloni’s agenda changed in power? Where did her politics come from? And why has Italy had 68 governments since World War II?

  • by Angus Holland
How does Scott Pendlebury stop time?

How does Scott Pendlebury stop time?

We explored the Collingwood veteran’s Matrix-like manoeuvres in this Explainer from 2019. Five years later, the now 36-year-old, on the cusp of his 400th AFL match, is still defying the passage of time.

  • by Jake Niall
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Trillion-dollar piggy banks: Inside the world of sovereign wealth

Trillion-dollar piggy banks: Inside the world of sovereign wealth

Norway’s is famously huge. Qatar used its to buy Harrods. How do sovereign wealth funds work? And why isn’t ours as big as Norway’s?

  • by Angus Holland
‘I screwed up’: When is a leader too old to lead?
Explainer
US Votes 2024

‘I screwed up’: When is a leader too old to lead?

Joe Biden’s recent halting debate against a blustering rival caused panic in some quarters. But does it mean he should throw in the re-election towel?

  • by Angus Holland and Jackson Graham
‘A diabolical mess’: How did we get into this housing crisis, and how do we get out?

‘A diabolical mess’: How did we get into this housing crisis, and how do we get out?

Hard-won deposits, soaring rents, crippling mortgages, capital gains, negative gearing … What’s to blame, and how do other countries do housing?

  • by Angus Holland and Josh Gordon
‘Le TikTok king’: Meet the 28-year-old fronting France’s far right

‘Le TikTok king’: Meet the 28-year-old fronting France’s far right

Snap elections in France have put a spotlight on the leader of its major far-right party. Who is he? And why is French politics in turmoil?

  • by Angus Holland and Jackson Graham
They ‘see’ music, smell colours, feel flavour. What’s it like to have synaesthesia?
Explainer
Science

They ‘see’ music, smell colours, feel flavour. What’s it like to have synaesthesia?

Zinia is a composer who literally sees her music take shape. But it’s not just artists who experience this rare “crossover of the senses”. How does it work?

  • by Jackson Graham