Explainers
Explainer
Health
Why do some people get hay fever and what can they do about it?
Noses start to twitch as pollens sweep in with spring. What is hay fever, how does it relate to COVID-19 and why is it important to nip symptoms in the bud?
- by Hanna Mills Turbet and Craig Butt
Latest
Explainer
US votes 2020
Why is Trump refusing to concede and does he have any legal options left?
Joe Biden has won, but can the US President's army of lawyers help him hang onto the White House? And will recounts make a difference?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
US votes 2020
What are the recount rules in the states still in play for the presidency?
What are the rules on recounts in each of the seven states still in the spotlight? And how are Trump's lawsuits playing out?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Trade wars
Wine, lobster, copper … what's at stake in our trade tensions with China?
Why does China seem to be cracking down on Australian exports? And how could this affect the Australian economy?
- by Darren Gray
Explainer
US votes 2020
Could Trump use the Supreme Court to stop vote counting?
Donald Trump says he wants vote counting to stop in some states; and he will go to the Supreme Court to make it happen. Can he?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Interest rates
What is quantitative easing? What is helicopter money?
It's not for the faint-hearted but it's now being used around the world. What is unconventional monetary policy, and what is "QE"?
- by Shane Wright
Explainer
Melbourne Cup
Inside the mind of the man you're betting against: how bookies set odds
Bookies play "cat and mouse" with punters right up until the barriers open. What goes on in their minds? And how do they almost always come out on top?
- by Patrick Hatch
Explainer
Indigenous culture
What do these sacred trees tell us about Aboriginal heritage in Australia?
Some trees have been spared and some have not in a long-running dispute. Who decides what happens to Indigenous sites? And what is a "directions" tree?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Racing integrity
What are the rules on racehorses being slaughtered?
Is it illegal to send off a former racehorse for slaughter? How are horses tracked once their track career is over? And what other racehorse welfare issues are still in the spotlight?
- by Adam Pengilly
Explainer
US votes 2020
How does Russia meddle in US politics?
What form does Russian interference take? And how has a climate of “fake news” taken on a life of its own within the US?
- by Chris Zappone
Explainer
US votes 2020
What are Trump and Biden's policies?
One presidential candidate wants to Keep America Great; the other wants to Build Back Better. But what are the candidates' key policies?
- by Farrah Tomazin