Explainer: what are mitochondria and how did we come to have them?
To explain why we have a mitochondria, we have to go back about two billion years to a time when none of the complexity of life as we see it today existed.
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Articles on Explainer
Displaying 1 - 20 of 457 articles
What is a cohabitation agreement and do I need one?
Cohabiting couples can sign an agreement to avoid legal uncertainties in the case of a relationship breakdown.
Explainer: what is the flesh-eating bacterium that causes Buruli ulcer and how can I avoid it?
The hallmark of a Buruli ulcer is a sore, usually on the legs or arms, which slowly enlarges over weeks to months.
Explainer: after an earthquake, how does a tsunami happen?
A 8.1 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Mexico on 8 September 2017. Fortunately, initial fears of a damaging tsunami hitting the coastline now appear unfounded.
Curious Kids: Why do stars twinkle?
How exactly do the stars twinkle in the night sky? As it turns out, the answer is full of hot air... and cold air.
Spirituality gone awry in India: what is Dera Sacha Sauda, and who is its jailed leader?
The Dera Sacha Sauda episode has several important questions, mostly related to the crisis of spirituality and modernity in India today.
Explainer: what is antifa, and where did it come from?
The anti-fascist movement, or 'antifa', has undergone more of an evolution of progressive militancy than a birth.
Curious Kids: Why are rainbows round?
Georgina, age 5, wants to know why rainbows are round.
Explainer: what is Seroquel and should you take it for insomnia?
Quetiapine, sold under the brand name Seroquel, is a short-acting antipsychotic drug to treat major mental illnesses. It has also been increasingly prescribed off-label for insomnia.
Explainer: how do Australia’s proposed citizenship laws compare internationally?
Whether or not a prospective citizen would face a longer wait in Australia compared to Germany, Canada or the UK comes down to their individual circumstances.
Explainer: with no free vote for now, where next for marriage equality?
The government seems determined to give voters a voice on marriage equality, and equally determined not to be bound by what those voters say.
Curious Kids: Why is the sky blue and where does it start?
Some people think the sky is blue because of sunlight reflected off the ocean and back into the sky. But that's not the real reason.
Explainer: how Australia’s military justice system works
Unlike most domestic criminal law, the laws governing the behaviour of Australian armed forces apply to criminal conduct alleged to have taken place overseas.
Explainer: is a High Court challenge about to bring down the Turnbull government?
Given the Turnbull government only has a one-seat majority in the lower house, the immediate stakes of the challenge to David Gillespie's eligibility are as high as they could possibly be.
Explainer: why three government ministers might face contempt of court charges
It is obviously important to protect the institutional integrity and independence of the judiciary – but the judiciary and judicial decisions should not be immune from criticism.
Explainer: what Islam actually says about domestic violence
Islam’s position on domestic violence is drawn from the Qur’an, prophetic practice, and historical and contemporary legal verdicts.
Explainer: what’s the difference between TPIMs and control orders?
An outline of the ways laws to restrict the activities of terrorist suspects have evolved.
Explainer: how much landfill does Australia have?
Australia sends 20 million tonnes of garbage to landfill every year. With thousands of sites across the nation, it's hard to track exactly how many there are, where they are, and what's filling them.
Explainer: what is chemotherapy and how does it work?
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to treat cancer. It is often paired with surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy in a cancer treatment plan.
What is classified information, and who gets to decide?
A professor who once held top secret clearance explains how levels of classification work and where handling sensitive information gets tricky.
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Professor in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Monash University
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