Explainer

Analysis and Comment (144)

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While it seems unbelievable, there’s a scientific explanation for foreign accent syndrome – and it may surprise you. Baturix

Explainer: what is foreign accent syndrome?

By Lyndsey Nickels

In the past few days, a great deal of media attention has been paid to Leanne Rowe, a Tasmanian woman who has lived eight years with a French accent she acquired after a car accident. This phenomenon is…
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Only a handful of mammals aside from us – primates, some bat species and the elephant shrew – get their period. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: why do women menstruate?

By Dyani Lewis, University of Melbourne

For half the population, it comes three to five days each month, 12 months each year, for 40 years of our lives. Menstruation can be debilitating, relieving, disappointing, or simply an inconvenient fact…
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Going against your intuition could increase your chances of winning a car instead of a goat, according to the Monty Hall problem. mgbutterfly

The Monty Hall problem: going with your gut will get your goat

By Adrian Dudek

The game show host adjusts his bow tie and flashes you an oh-so-wicked smile as he brings your attention to three closed doors. “Behind one of these doors is the prize of your dreams!” he announces excitedly…
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If deforestation is cut down, the world’s forests could act as a large net sink for carbon emissions. Flickr/sobriquet.net

Explainer: how much carbon can the world’s forests absorb?

By Peter Reich, University of Western Sydney

You are walking through the bush when you see an enormous tree trunk, tens of metres long, lying across the forest floor. Imagine you and several dozen friends lifting it by hand. Now you’ve literally…
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The new strain (C4a) of enterovirus EV71 has infected hundreds of thousands mostly pre-school-age children in China, Cambodia and Taiwan. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is the new enterovirus or EV71?

By Charles Watson, Curtin University

A virus that can cause paralysis in children has been circulating in New South Wales during autumn and has recently spread to Victoria. Around 30 young children, mainly from Sydney’s northern and southeastern…
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Genetics can explain a black or white cat in a litter, but what about a stripey cat? Enter epigenetics. Taylor Bennett

Explainer: what is epigenetics?

By Merlin Crossley

The word epigenetics means things imposed “on top of genetics”. But what sort of things? Imagine a white mouse breeds with a black mouse – say you get three white babies and three black babies. That’s…
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Ocean power can be harnessed for electricity generation using both wave energy and the tide. Scottish Government

Explainer: what is ocean energy?

By Jenny Hayward, CSIRO and Chris Knight, CSIRO

Renewable ocean energy harnesses the power of the oceans to produce electricity. This can be done in several ways, but the resources that have the most immediate potential in terms of energy production…
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The Gonski reforms will mean different levels of funding for different schools according to a variety of factors. AAP Image/Dan Peled

Gonski: different funding arrangements for different schools

By Squirrel Main, University of Melbourne

In an attempt to pressure state leaders on schools funding reform, prime minister Julia Gillard revealed new data showing the difference her package would make at the national and state level. The June…
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What do you see here: a tasty snack or a smiling face? jillmotts

Holy grilled cheese sandwich! What is pareidolia?

By Kevin Brooks

How much would you pay for a grilled cheese sandwich? $6? Maybe $7, if it was deliciously fresh and you were really hungry? In 2004, Diane Duyser from Florida, USA sold a ten-year-old grilled cheese sandwich…
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We have a lot of cells, but where did they arise from? j.reed

Explainer: what are stem cells?

By Merlin Crossley

In a paper published in Cell yesterday, scientists from the US and Thailand have, for the first time, successfully produced embryonic stem cells from human skin cells. That sounds interesting, but what…
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American actress Angelina Jolie has had a double mastectomy because she carries the faulty gene BRCA1. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

Angelina Jolie has had a double mastectomy, so what is BRCA1?

By Geoff Lindeman, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

Actress Angelina Jolie has today written an op-ed in the New York Times explaining that she has opted to have a double mastectomy because she carries the hereditary BRCA1 gene, which she says increases…
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The novel coronavirus is in the same family as the SARS virus, but has some different biological features and is not as infectious. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is the new coronavirus?

By Charles Watson, Curtin University

Ten years ago the world was gripped by the threat of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), which was caused by a coronavirus. The outbreak infected more than 8,000 people and around 800 died. Over…
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Implanted electrodes can alleviate symptoms of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and help treat addiction. Wikimedia Commons

Deep brain stimulation: a fix when the drugs don’t work

By Amy Reichelt

Neurological disorders can have a devastating impact on the lives of sufferers and their families. Symptoms of these disorders differ extensively – from motor dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease, memory…
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Australians will vote on constitutional recognition for local government in September – but what are the reasons behind the referendum? AAP/Sophie Marr

Explainer: why are we having a referendum on local government?

By Shipra Chordia

The federal government has announced that Australians will be voting in a referendum on September 14 – federal election day – to decide whether local government should be recognised in the Australian Constitution…
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Influenza symptoms include high fevers and chills, as well as pains and aches in muscles and joints. Davide Taviani

Explainer: what is the flu?

By Trent Yarwood

When people say they have “the flu”, what they’re experiencing most of the time is the common cold, which is not caused by the influenza virus at all. But the term “flu season”, which Australia is in…
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Let children run wild, run free: that’s the message of a new education movement called “unschooling”. Children image from www.shutterstock.com

‘Unschooling’ – education fad or real alternative?

By Rebecca English, Queensland University of Technology

What do you think about the idea of allowing your children to stay at home all day and do whatever they like? Do you think you could trust them to learn without teachers or parents telling them what, when…
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Having trouble remembering all your passwords? Don’t expect respite any time soon. Jonno Witts

Passwords: how to choose one and why we need them

By Philip Branch, Swinburne University of Technology

I just did a count of the systems I use that require a password and gave up at 40. I know I’m not alone; for many of us, it often seems we have too many passwords to manage. They are, however, required…
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Whether or not intuition is inherently “good” depends on the situation. maclauren70

Explainer: what is intuition?

By Ben Newell

The word intuition is derived from the Latin intueor – to see; intuition is thus often invoked to explain how the mind can “see” answers to problems or decisions in the absence of explicit reasoning…
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With improvements in enhanced geothermal systems technology the earth’s heat could become a major electricity generator. Flickr/xavierbt

Explainer: what is geothermal energy?

By Hal Gurgenci

Geothermal means, literally, “earth heat”. The temperature of the earth increases as we drill deeper towards its core. We can use that heat for energy by circulating water through hot subterranean reservoirs…
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The International Space Station after undocking from the now-retired Endeavour space shuttle. NASA

Explainer: the International Space Station

By Kevin Orrman-Rossiter, University of Melbourne

As the most visible man-made object in the night sky the International Space Station (ISS) is of significance to humankind. It takes humans from being explorers of space to being residents of space. The…
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Australia has one of the highest rates of illicit methamphetamine use in the world. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: methamphetamine use and addiction in Australia

By Nicole Lee, Flinders University

More commonly known by the street names speed, ice or crystal meth, both amphetamine and methamphetamine belong to a group of stimulant drugs called amphetamines. Australia has one of the highest rates…
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Schools funding has been a hot topic this week: here’s all you need to know on this important election issue. AAP Image/Alan Porritt

Explainer: What is a ‘Gonski’ anyway?

By Bronwyn Hinz, University of Melbourne

This week you might have heard the word “Gonski” even more than usual. That’s because the Gillard government finally announced how it would pay for its school funding reform in the lead up to its meeting…
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Location-restricted services are becoming ever easier to access, wherever you live. Daniel Dionne

Explainer: what is geoblocking?

By Karl Schaffarczyk, University of Canberra

So you sit down in front of your computer to catch the latest episode of Doctor Who directly from BBC’s iPlayer, and you are greeted by an error message informing you that the program will play only in…
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Hydropower stations such as the Three Gorges in China are able to produce large amounts of electricity but they can also alter ecosystems and displace communities. EPA

Explainer: what is hydroelectricity?

By Vladimir Strezov

Hydroelectricity is an established power-generation technology with over 100 years of commercial operation. Hydroelectricity is produced when moving water rotates a turbine shaft; this movement is converted…
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Whacking your funny bone really hard will cause a mild nerve injury which may take minutes, hours or even days to come good. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is the funny bone?

By Michael Vagg, Barwon Health

Put a finger on the point of your elbow. Feel inwards from there about half and inch or slightly more until you find another bony outcrop. Got it? Good. Tap with your finger in the valley between those…
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Anorexia affects about 2% of women in their lifetime, although one in every ten sufferers is male. Darwin Bell

Epigenetics offers a glimmer of hope for future anorexia treatment

By Tracey Wade, Flinders University

Most people know that anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric illness associated with the maintenance of low weight and fear of weight gain. But we know very little about what causes this destructive disease…
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Algae synthesisers – a new crop for biofuels, without the need for land. Kirsten Heimann

Explainer: what are algal biofuels?

By Kirsten Heimann, James Cook University

The problem we face with fossil fuels being ultimately a finite resource has exposed our need for renewable fuels. But research is underway on new and more environmentally-savvy ways to fuel our growing…
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The blanket term “hack” can encompass a whole range of attacks – but what are they? Anant N S

Explainer: what is hacking?

By James H. Hamlyn-Harris, Swinburne University of Technology

Last week, we woke to news that the largest cyber attack ever was underway in Europe, with reports of global internet speeds falling as a result of an assault on the anti-spamming company Spamhaus. In…
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Canola is harvested on a property near Wallendbeen NSW. AAP Image/Alan Porritt

Explainer: what are biofuels?

By Daniel Tan

Since the beginning of civilisation, humans have depended on organic materials – or “biomass” – for cooking and heat. Many developing countries in Asia and Africa still do. Biofuel or bioenergy is the…
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How do rooftop solar panels work? Abi Skipp

Explainer: what is photovoltaic solar energy?

By Andrew Blakers

There are two main types of solar energy technology: photovoltaics (PV) and solar thermal. Solar PV is the rooftop solar you see on homes and businesses – it produces electricity from solar energy directly…
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The definition of the word gene has evolved as our knowledge has advanced. Katy.Tresedder

Explainer: what is a gene?

By Merlin Crossley

There’s a very confusing exchange in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass: “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more…
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Up to 80% of people who contract herpes remain completely asymptomatic. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is herpes?

By Dyani Lewis, University of Melbourne

When it comes to sexual health, the virus that causes those tingling blisters and angry sores of genital herpes is often the most reviled and feared. Most cases of genital herpes in humans are caused…
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The ways in which we use VPNs have changed. Stephan Geyer

Explainer: what is a virtual private network (VPN)?

By Mark A Gregory, RMIT University

Have you ever wanted to exist in more than one place at the same time? The laws of physics suggest wormholes through space and time are hypothetical; but wormholes do exist in cyberspace and wonders can…
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Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Tips Times

Explainer: what is cancer?

By Darren Saunders, Garvan Institute

Few things strike fear into people more than the word cancer, and with good reason. While improvements in cancer therapy and advances in palliative care mean that the illness does not always lead to inevitable…
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Migraines often cause nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and noise. Shutterstock/Emilia Ungur

Explainer: what are migraines?

By Lyn Griffiths, Griffith University

If you, or someone close to you suffers from migraine, you’ll know it is much more than your average headache – migraine is a debilitating disorder that can even affect your sight and speech. Migraine…
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It’s now one of the world’s most commonly used tools, but what exactly is GPS? CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture

Explainer: what is GPS?

By Andrew Dempster

It’s a device used widely in cars, on smartphones and in fitness devices. But what exactly is GPS, and how is it able to pinpoint our exact location anywhere on Earth? How does it work? The Global Positioning…
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The aim of CER is to assess the effectiveness and worth of medical interventions in real-life scenarios. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is comparative effectiveness research?

By John Zalcberg, University of Melbourne

The evidence gleaned from medical research directly affects the decisions made about health care in Australia, driving everything from clinical practice guidelines, to which health interventions will and…
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Vaccination has a lot more uses than you may know. Stephen Mitchell

Explainer: how are vaccines used in Australian agriculture?

By Ian Colditz, CSIRO

Approximately 140 vaccines are registered for use in livestock and companion animals in Australia. Many more animals are vaccinated each year than humans. Vaccines are used in farm animals: to protect…
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The Large Hadron Collider has been used to find out what matter is fundamentally made of, and how the universe was created. EPA/Martial Triezzini

Explainer: quarks

By Takashi Kubota, University of Melbourne

One of humanity’s eternal questions surrounds what we are fundamentally made of. Many ancient philosophies believed in a set of classical elements: from water, air, fire and earth of ancient Greeks; to…
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The best way to prevent type 2 diabetes is to lose your excess fat. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is diabetes?

By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute

To keep your body functioning, glucose must always be present in your blood. It’s as important as oxygen in the air you breathe. The brain can only function for a few minutes without either before it stops…
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Good news for those who like a weekend sleep-in: lost sleep can be recovered. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: can you pay off your ‘sleep debt’?

By Leon Lack, Flinders University and Siobhan Banks, University of South Australia

Ever have those moments on weekends or public holidays when you wake at your usual time, then realise there’s no pressing need to get up? If you go back for another couple of hours of shut-eye and use…
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University textbooks are expensive for a reason. Textbook image from www.shuttestock.com

Required reading: here’s why textbooks are so expensive

By Philip Soos, Deakin University

Although student life at university is generally enjoyable, one aspect that blemishes the experience is the astronomical cost of textbooks. As many students head back to university this year, they can…
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Consumers of research should not be satisfied with statements that “X is effective”, or “Y has an effect”. Gwenae l Piaser

Why hypothesis and significance tests ask the wrong questions

By Rob Herbert, Neuroscience Research Australia

Empirical science needs data. But all data are subject to random variation, and random variation obscures patterns in data. So statistical methods are used to make inferences about the true patterns or…
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We’re all familiar with the double helix structure so vital to life, but DNA can take other forms. ctbroek/Flickr

Explainer: quadruple-helix DNA

By Friederike Mansfeld

DNA has been called many things: the king of molecules, the blueprint of life, and less excitingly but perhaps more accurately, the genetic code. DNA’s double helix, discovered in 1953 by James Watson…
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Without treatment, half of PTSD sufferers experience chronic problems that can last for decades. marcusjroberts

Explainer: what is post-traumatic stress disorder?

By Mark Creamer, University of Melbourne

People have probably always known about the psychological effects of experiencing life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, or violent assault. Literature through the ages – some…
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Depression is more than the experience of sadness or stress. Sander van der Wel

Explainer: what is depression?

By Philip Batterham; Amelia Gulliver, and Lou Farrer

Many people know what it’s like to feel sad or down from time to time. We can experience negative emotions due to many things – a bad day at work, a relationship break-up, a sad film, or just getting out…
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Epigenetic factors can change due to environmental factors, such as diet, toxins and stress. leeroy09481/Flickr

Explainer: how epigenetics is providing insight into cancer

By Susan Clark, Garvan Institute and Fatima Valdes Mora, Garvan Institute

DNA provides the instructions to make us how we look and contributes to our life expectancy. Identical twins have exactly the same DNA, so why are slightly different in many ways? The answer is epigenetics…
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Some of the isotopes we find here on Earth were created in supernova explosions like this one. NASA

Explainer: what is an isotope?

By Elizabeth Williams

If you’ve ever studied a periodic table of the elements (see below), you’re probably already aware that this table reveals a great deal about the chemical properties of the atoms that make up our world…
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“Wait a minute. I’ve been here before …” PhotoJonny/Flickr

Explainer: what is déjà vu and why does it happen?

By Amy Reichelt

Have you ever experienced a sudden feeling of familiarity while in a completely new place? Or the feeling you’ve had the exact same conversation with someone before? This feeling of familiarity is, of…
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Venous thromboembolism is the fifth leading cause of death in Australia. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is deep vein thrombosis?

By Prof Karlheinz Peter, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute and Ulrike Flierl, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute

Living in Australia, we’re used to flying long distances. So you’ve probably wondered about the risk of developing a deep vein thrombosis. Perhaps you’ve even considered buying some pressure stockings…
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There are a lot of components to biology – bioinformatics helps us makes sense of them all. Image from Shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is bioinformatics?

By Mark Ragan

Bioinformatics underpins and enables research across the life sciences. This ranges from high-volume reductionist science (genomics, proteomics and the other “omics”, regulation of gene activity, epigenetics…
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When it comes to the crunch, the null hypothesis is the only one being tested. Pimthida

Explainer: what is a null hypothesis?

By Paco Garcia-Gonzalez, Spanish Scientific Research Council CSIC

At the heart of the scientific method is the process of hypothesis testing. Given an observable phenomenon in the world, a scientist will construct a hypothesis which seeks to explain that phenomenon…
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There have been two major reports this year looking into how university places are funded – so which was right? Student money image from www.shutterstock.com

Undergraduate study: who should pay?

By Geoff Sharrock, University of Melbourne

The past year has seen two major reports on the economics of higher education, each seeking to reform the way undergraduate study is financed. The Grattan Institute’s Graduate Winners appeared in August…
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Different parts of the brain do different things, but there’s more overlap than you might think. Brain image from www.shutterstock.com

Explainer: the brain

By Kate Hoy, Monash University

If I had been asked 15 years ago to write a short piece about what the different parts of the brain did, it would have been a fairly straightforward task. Not any more. Over the last 15 years, the methods…
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The cobalt hues of the sky above are thanks to all manner of molecules in the air. djking

Explainer: why is the sky blue?

By Murray Hamilton

A young child looked up in the sky, And said, “It’s so blue, Mum, but why?” You see, blue scatters more, (There’s this power of 4), So it rarely comes straight to your eye. – Author unknown Most of what…
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The emperor tamarin is one of several species of New World monkey … but how did they get there? Apex Design

Explainer: what is biogeography?

By Malte Ebach

How did you get to work today? I walked to the station, caught a train, then walked to a bus stop and hopped on the 891 express. All this time, while I was travelling, I moved in space – in fact a lot…
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The majority of people who have obstructive sleep apnoea are unaware they have the disorder. Image from shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is obstructive sleep apnoea?

By Danny Eckert, Neuroscience Research Australia

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common sleep-related breathing disorder, where the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep. During an obstructive breathing event, someone with OSA continues…
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Make no bones about it, radiocarbon dating has transformed our understanding of the past. Wessex Archaeology

Explainer: what is radiocarbon dating and how does it work?

By Rachel Wood

Radiocarbon dating has transformed our understanding of the past 50,000 years. Professor Willard Libby produced the first radiocarbon dates in 1949 and was later awarded the Nobel Prize for his efforts…
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The biggest delay is arguably at the stage where sponsors can exert the most control over timing. Chris Kelly

Why medicines take so much time to get listed on the PBS

By Alison Pearce, University of Technology, Sydney

The Australian government introduced a controversial delay to the approval process for subsidised medicines last year, in an attempt to cut costs. We decided to examine the timelines of the approval process…
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Taxonomists are in the business of classifying the life we see around us – plant, animal and otherwise. Gnilenkov Aleksey

Explainer: what is biological classification?

By Gerry Cassis

For taxonomists, days often start – and sometimes end – with the question: what’s that? Whether you’re an entomologist, staring at a new species of riffle bug from a rainforest stream, or a paleontologist…
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What starts as a flap of wings can end – metaphorically – in a hurricane. horizontal.integration

Explainer: what is Chaos Theory?

By Jonathan Borwein (Jon), University of Newcastle and Michael Rose, University of Newcastle

Clouds are not spheres, mountains are not cones … Nature exhibits not simply a higher degree but an altogether different level of complexity. – Benoît Mandelbröt, The Fractal Geometry of Nature Chaos…
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Something’s going on behind your eyes … but what is it, and why does it happen? Rubén Chase

Explainer: what is dreaming?

By Drew Dawson,

For most of human history, dreaming has been seen as a second “reality” in which altered forms of perception provide insights into ourselves and others, our fears, fantasies and motivations or even the…
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This mosquito – Aedes aegypti – can spread the dengue, Chikungunya and yellow fever viruses. Paul Zborowski

Explainer: what is dengue fever?

By Scott Ritchie, James Cook University

Dengue is caused by four different serotypes (strains) of the dengue virus that can cause mild to severe illness in people, who are infected via mosquito bites. Dengue has been spreading through most urbanised…
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The power we need twice a year is making us pay year-round. Andrew J Cosgriff

Explainer: What is peak power and how does it affect prices?

By Lynne Chester

This is the year of electricity prices. Everyone, from the Prime Minister to your favourite barista, is talking about the recent rapid escalation in electricity prices. These increases are a complex story…
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The Good sisters, born in Bristol in 1948, were the first quadruplets in the world to survive a caesarean-section birth. Paul Townsend

Explainer: twins, triplets, quadruplets and more

By Andrew Hoy

Are they twins? Are they identical? Are they natural? Which one is older? These are some of the all-too-familiar, somewhat invasive and highly personal questions posed by well-intentioned strangers to…
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Not taking the whole course of antibiotics leads to the survival of a small number of bacteria that can tolerate the drug. Dave Rutt

Explainer: what are antibiotics?

By Matthew Cooper and Mark Blaskovich

You’ve got a high fever, severe cough and find it hard to breathe – all symptoms of severe pneumonia. Before antibiotics, you’d likely be dead within ten days. In fact, before we had these amazing drugs…
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Approximately 1% of adults and 4% of children stutter. khrawlings/Flickr.

Explainer: what is stuttering?

By Nan Bernstein Ratner, University of Maryland

For the 1% of adults worldwide who stutter, the everyday task of picking up a phone, asking for directions, or ordering food in a restaurant can be incredibly difficult. Stuttering is even more common…
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Hands up who wants to go to a private school? Barack Obama visits an elementary school in Silver Springs, Maryland. EPA/Chip Somodevilla

US elections: do school vouchers work?

By Glenn Altschuler, Cornell University

Most Americans agree that public education in their country is broken. The infrastructure of thousands of schools is decaying, scores on standardised tests are stagnant, and roughly 1.2 million students…
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Many proteins make up the G protein-coupled receptor family, including the κ-opioid receptor (above). Wikimedia Commons

The 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry – what are G protein-coupled receptors?

By Wayne Leifert, CSIRO

Two US scientists have been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering the receptors that transmit signals such as light, taste or smell to cells. Robert Lefkowitz (of Duke University…
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Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka (pictured) were jointly awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for studies of G-protein-coupled receptors”.

The 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, explained

By Arthur Christopoulos, Monash University

The reason we can see, taste and smell, and even why our heart races when we get excited or scared, can be explained by the actions of a family of “gatekeeper” proteins known as G protein-coupled receptors…
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Can you play a quantum game of tennis with just one court and one ball? Javmorcas

The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, explained

By Andrea Morello

You may have heard that this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to Serge Haroche (from College de France) and David J. Wineland (from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology…
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We all know the past disappears. FotoRita [Allstar maniac]

Explainer: what is forgetting?

By Jee Hyun Kim, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

If memory can be defined as “a past that becomes a part of me”, can forgetting be defined as “a past that is no longer a part of me”? Smokers who have abstained for years may not consciously be able to…
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You’ll be hearing a lot more about 4G networks in the years to come. Leo Reynolds/chrisinplymouth

Explainer: what is 4G?

By Mark A Gregory, RMIT University

If you’re looking to buy a new smartphone or computer you’ve probably seen advertisements and offers for 4G-compatible devices. You might even own a 4G-compatible device already. But just what is 4G…
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Research in cerebral palsy has historically lagged behind other medical areas. EPA/Kerim Okten

Explainer: what is cerebral palsy?

By Nadia Badawi and Iona Novak

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability, affecting 35,000 Australians, or one in 500 people. It is estimated that one Australian child is born with cerebral palsy every 15 hours. We…
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Classification allows athletes to compete against those with a similar level of impairment. EPA/Louisa Gouliamaki

Explainer: what is ‘classification’ at the Paralympics?

By Keith Lyons, University of Canberra

If you’re watching the Paralympics on TV, listening on radio or reading about the Games in the papers or online, you’ll notice different sports are sub-divided into separate classes. If you’re listening…
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Did you forget to lock the door, or just forget to pay proper attention? jef safi \ 'pictosophizing

Explainer: what is memory?

By Jee Hyun Kim, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

Memory is difficult to define without being circular. People often define memory as “something you can remember”. But we cannot deny the existence of a memory when there is no recollection. Sigmund Freud…
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Excessive anxiety causes serious distress and problems in important areas of life. Thomas/Flickr

Explainer: what is an anxiety disorder?

By Lynne Harris

Most of us are intimately familiar with anxiety. We experience it as we walk towards the room to where our job interview is held, when we stand up to give a speech at our best friend’s wedding, or when…
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Transparency in donation processes gives families confidence about giving tissue and organs. Senior couple talking to doctor photo from www.shutterstock.com

Explainer: what is tissue donation?

By Holly Northam, University of Canberra

Every year a number of grieving families will be asked to donate tissue following the death of a relative. The consequences of their decision have implications for patient’s awaiting transplantation, and…
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The rise of open online courses will affect almost every part of higher education, including the international student market in Australia. AAP Image/Julian Smith

Online open education: yes, this is the game changer

By Simon Marginson, University of Melbourne

Mass Open Online Courseware (MOOCs) is less than a year old but it is already clear this will be the game changer in higher education worldwide. Right now it is reverberating through Australian universities…
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Imagine a magic prism for the entire range of electromagnetic waves. TORLEY

Explainer: what is the electromagnetic spectrum?

By Andrew W Wood, Swinburne University of Technology

Visible light forms part of the electromagnetic spectrum. So do emissions from TV and radio transmitters, mobile phones and the energy inside microwave ovens. The X-rays used in diagnostic imaging and…
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The stories behind the Human Genome Project are themselves extraordinarily human. widdowquinn

Explainer: what is the Human Genome Project?

By Melissa Southey, University of Melbourne

For many decades humans have pursued work to characterise the human genome. Today, publicly available references to genome sequences are available and have been instrumental in effecting recent advances…
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Breastfeeding is good for the health of both babies and their mothers. Ozgur POYRAZOGLU

Explainer: why mothers should breastfeed

By Evelyn Volders, Monash University

Breast milk is one of the most important components of infant care. It provides complete nutrition and helps to prevent and fight infections. And it’s also safer – in much of the world, artificial infant…
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“Most people just get used to the concept and get on with their lives.” Roger McLassus

Explainer: what is wave-particle duality

By Tim Davis, CSIRO

Our notion of reality is built on everyday experiences. But wave-particle duality is so strange that we are forced to re-examine our common conceptions. Wave-particle duality refers to the fundamental…
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This is how a person without colour blindness would see these coloured test tubes. Bigstockphoto / Craig Colvin

Explainer: what is colour blindness?

By Paul Martin

Here are six test tubes filled with coloured dyes. How many different colours do you see? Most people say six, but some people would say only two or three. There are even some (very rare) people who see…
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Lynette Rowe (right) has tears wiped from her eyes by her mother Wendy. AAP

Explainer: what is thalidomide?

By Miles Prince, University of Melbourne

Melbourne woman Lynette Rowe was yesterday awarded a multi-million dollar legal settlement after suffering birth defects as a result of her mother taking anti-morning sickness pills containing the drug…
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Between 10% and 45% of children have one or more sleep problems. Jack French

Explainer: childhood sleep disorders

By Sarah Biggs, Monash University

Any parent will tell you the meaning of the saying “slept like a baby” is completely opposite to reality. Thankfully, many parents succeed in establishing a routine to their baby’s initial erratic sleep…
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Chron’s disease causes the wall of the intestine to become inflamed. Flickr/Rob Wiltshire

Explainer: Crohn’s disease and intestinal immune balance

By Fabien Vincent, Monash University and Fabienne Mackay, Monash University

Scientific and medical articles, and websites by Crohn’s disease associations give similar definitions of the illness: “Crohn’s disease is a chronic, inflammatory disorder which may involve any part of…
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The H3 strain of influenza has made a come back but immunity from past infectious is likely to have waned. Tranchis

Explainer: flu season 2012

By Robert Booy

Each year, different strains of influenza cause varying rates of illness throughout the community. So what strains are around this year and what kind of protection is offered by seasonal influenza vaccines…
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One day we may have a global quantum internet. Robert Couse-Baker"

Explainer: quantum computation and communication technology

By Howard Wiseman, Griffith University

What is a quantum technology? Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics that explains the behaviour of matter and energy at the atomic scale. So does “quantum technology’’ just mean technology based…
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Eating disorders are more than fad diets gone wrong. Flickr -S

Explainer: anorexia and bulimia

By Peta Stapleton

Eating disorders are an increasing problem in children and adolescents. Recent Australian studies have indicated eating disorder behaviour has increased twofold in Australia in the last five years and…
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Ripples in a pond help to illustrate wave motion and the Doppler effect. *˜Dawn˜*

Explainer: the Doppler effect

By Gillian Isoardi, Queensland University of Technology

When an ambulance passes with its siren blaring, you hear the pitch of the siren change: as it approaches, the siren’s pitch sounds higher than when it is moving away from you. This change is a common…
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Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder which affects between 1% and 6% of the population. thewoodenshoes/Flickr

Explainer: what is bipolar disorder?

By Greg Murray, Swinburne University of Technology

During a manic episode, the main character of popular television series Homeland, CIA agent Carrie Mathison (played by Claire Danes) colour codes the evidence in a terrorism case, making vital links that…
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Labelling a person as “obese” may not always be helpful in prompting positive changes in behaviour. HighContrast

Explainer: overweight, obese, BMI – what does it all mean?

By Tim Crowe, Deakin University

OBESE NATION: It’s time to admit it – Australia is becoming an obese nation. Today we launch a series looking at how this has happened and, more importantly, what we can do to stop the obesity epidemic…
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We all know obesity increases our risk of chronic disease, but how does excess fat actually affect our body?

Explainer: how does excess weight cause disease?

By Joseph Proietto, University of Melbourne

OBESE NATION: It’s time to admit it – Australia is becoming an obese nation. Today we launch a series looking at how this has happened and, more importantly, what we can do to stop the obesity epidemic…
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There’s far more to the night sky than the human eye can see. Joseph Dsilva

Explainer: radio astronomy

By Steven Tingay, Curtin University

Humans have always had a deep affinity with the night sky. Over millennia the stars have guided us in our travels, provided a grand canvas for the great stories of mythology and invoked a sense of wonder…
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Hypnosis is a state of conscious awareness which most people experience many times each day. Beyonder

Explainer: how does hypnosis relieve pain?

By Allan Cyna, SA Health and Marion Andrew, SA Health

Hypnosis in one form or another has been around for thousands of years, but until recently, evidence to support its biological and clinically powerful effects have been lacking. Today hypnosis is used…
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A simulated Black Hole of ten solar masses as seen from a distance of 600km with the Milky Way in the background. Ute Kraus/Wikimedia

Explainer: black holes

By Robert Braun, CSIRO

The concept of a “black hole” is one of the most curious in astrophysics. It’s the answer to the question: “What happens if the density of matter in a region becomes so high that not even light can escape…
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Life would be pretty boring if we could predict what was coming next. ModernDope

Explainer: Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle

By Howard Wiseman, Griffith University

The term “uncertainty principle” suggests some grand philosophical idea, like “you can never be sure of anything”, or “there are some things you can never be sure of” and sometimes people use it as if…
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Approximately 53,000 people are affected by stroke each year, at the cost of $1.3 billion. Axel Bührmann

Getting to the heart of the matter on stroke

By Caleb Ferguson, University of Technology, Sydney and Patricia Davidson, University of Technology, Sydney

A silent killer is stalking many families across Australia, taking victims with little notice while driving a black-hole in the country’s health budget. But a simple pulse check may be enough to detect…
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New guidelines based on best practice for treating sepsis are now available for nurses. University of Salford

Explainer: how is septicaemia treated?

By Leanne Aitken, Griffith University

Sepsis is extremely common and accounts for as many deaths as heart attack each year. Recently published guidelines summarise the most up-to-date method of caring for these patients, giving hope for improved…
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Systematic reviews help consumers, practitioners and policy makers identify what works. Kenny Holston 21/Flickr

How do we know what works? Systematic research reviews

By Steve McDonald, Monash University and Tari Turner, Monash University

We work at the Australasian Cochrane Centre and we dread being asked what we do for a living. This isn’t because we don’t like what we do, in fact we love it. It’s because when we explain that our job…
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Muhammed Ali, Michael J Fox, former pope John Paul II and Yasser Arafat all suffered from Parkinson’s disease. Ali by Ludie Cochrane/Flickr; all others AAP.

Explainer: what is Parkinson’s disease?

By Claire Stevens, Neuroscience Research Australia

Parkinson’s disease was not always known by this name. Almost 200 years ago in 1817, when English doctor James Parkinson first described the disease, he called it Shaking Palsy. But Parkinson’s disease…
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There’s more to gravity than apples falling from trees. Cea

Explainer: gravity

By David Blair, University of Western Australia

I have spent almost 40 years trying to detect gravity waves. When I started there were just a few of us working away in university labs. Today 1,000 physicists working with billion-dollar observatories…
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Tony Abbott says the end is near for the government, but can he bring it down? AAP/Alan Porritt

Explainer: motions of no confidence and the constitution

By Anne Twomey

After declaring the Gillard government was entering its “endgame”, opposition leader Tony Abbott is believed to be preparing to table a motion of no confidence. Since Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie…
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When it comes to being “fortunate”, context is king. kaibara87

Explainer: does luck exist?

By Neil Levy, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

Some people seem born lucky. Everything they touch turns to gold. Others are dogged by misfortune. It’s not just people who might be lucky or unlucky – it can be single acts. When the ball hits a post…
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It depends on the drug, how it’s been stored and whether the pack has been opened. saveas new

Explainer: do we need to follow medication use-by dates?

By Lisa Nissen

It’s late in the night. And after a long day at work, you have a splitting headache. You rattle around in the bottom drawer of the bathroom vanity to find a packet of paracetamol tablets you know are hiding…
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Michael Somare (right) and his deputy Sam Abal claim to be rightful leaders of PNG. AAP/Eoin Blackwell

Explainer: political crisis in Papua New Guinea

By Anthony Regan

Papua New Guinea has been gripped by political turmoil for almost a week now. Two men – Michale Somare and Peter O'Neill – are currently claiming to be the rightful prime minister of the nation. Both have…
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In 2009, more than 190 whales and dolphins stranded themselves on King Island. AAP

Explainer: What do we know about why whales strand themselves?

By Mark Hindell, University of Tasmania

Whales are a highly specialised group of mammals which left their terrestrial ancestors for the ocean about 50 million years ago. They have become so well adapted to the marine environment that they can…
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High pollen counts, warm weather and storms are the perfect conditions for thunderstorm asthma. Brandon LLW

Explainer: What is thunderstorm asthma?

By Megan Howden, Austin Health

If you suffer from itchy eyes, a runny nose, headaches and excessive sneezing this time of year, you’re certainly not alone. Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is an allergic reaction to pollen and affects…
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If you want to optimise scramjets you’re going to need the rule of the jungle. EPA/NSAS

Explainer: evolutionary algorithms

By Amit Saha, The Conversation

My intention with this article is to give an intuitive and non-technical introduction to the field of evolutionary algorithms, particularly with regards to optimisation. If I get you interested, I think…
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Oil gets into the ocean in all sorts of ways, but oil spills are the most visible. AAP

How can we clean up the Bay of Plenty oil spill?

By Nic Bax, CSIRO

Responding to oil spills, like that in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, is a very complex, high pressure situation. Decisions must be made based on whatever data are available at the time. One of the difficulties…
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Climate models allow us to look at the planet’s future climate. Truthout.org

Explainer: climate modelling

By Stuart Corney, University of Tasmania

We know the climate is changing because that’s what climate models tell us. But what exactly is a climate model, and are they cutting-edge science or modelling madness? What is a climate model? Climate…
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Bird flu transmission to humans is rare and hasn’t occurred with this new strain. AAP

Explainer: should we be worried about the new strain of bird flu?

By Terry Nolan, University of Melbourne

The circulation of a new strain of the H5N1 avian flu virus from China and Vietnam has prompted calls from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN for health authorities to be ready for a possible…
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How long’s a piece of string? You may want to sit down for a minute. Gnu2000

Explainer: String theory

By Dean Rickles

String theory entered the public arena in 1988 when a BBC radio series Desperately Seeking Superstrings was broadcast. Thanks to good marketing and its inherently curious name and features, it’s now part…
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Theoretical physics strives towards a (beautiful) description of everything. Jinx!

Explainer: Standard Model of Particle Physics

By Jonathan Carroll

The “traditional” beauty of theoretical physics is its equations. If we want to describe something, or the way something behaves, we can write down a relation between some properties we think that thing…
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Trans fats are more harmful to your health than regular fats and should be avoided. Flickr/Half alive

Explainer: what are trans fats?

By Peter Clifton, University of South Australia

Trans fats – they’re in our chips, bakery goods, popcorn and cakes. We know we should avoid them, but what exactly are they, and why are they so bad for us? First, let’s take a step back and look at how…
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Standard & Poor’s could still downgrade the US credit rating, despite the debt ceiling deal. AAP

Explainer: the role of credit ratings agencies

By Kevin Davis, Australian Centre for Financial Studies

Washington lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have passed an agreement hammered out between Republican and Democrat leaders designed to avert a US debt default. The move is a further step towards…
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Alan Turing, through pure mathematics, laid the foundations for the modern computer. Leo Reynolds

Explainer: the point of pure mathematics

By Lashi Bandara

What is pure mathematics? What do pure mathematicians do? Why is pure mathematics important? These are questions I’m often confronted with when people discover I do pure mathematics. I always manage…
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A growing number of academic institutions are building free online databases of their scholarly output. But publication in a big name academic journal still holds cachet for most academics. Flickr/mandiberg

Explainer: Open access vs traditional academic journal publishers

By Stephen Cramond, University of Melbourne

As the cost of accessing academic journal articles increases, a growing number of academic institutions are building publicly accessible databases of scholarly work. But how much of a threat to the traditional…
Gold
Uncertainty about the US economy is driving investors back to the safe-haven metal. AAP

Explainer: Why gold is still precious for investors

By Richard Heaney, University of Western Australia

The price of gold reached a record high of $US1607.01 an ounce on Tuesday as investors turn to the precious metal amid uncertain global economic conditions. University of Western Australian Professor…
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The Antarctic Treaty protects the continent from competing interests. AAP

Explainer: Keeping conflict on ice with the Antarctic Treaty

By Tony Press, University of Tasmania

This year marks the 50th year of the Antarctic Treaty, a visionary document that for the first time set out a vision for an entire continent based on peace, science and co-operation. So how does it hold…
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In the frame: David Jones has fallen victim of slumping consumer confidence – but is it warranted?

Are doubts about consumer confidence justified?

By Paul Harrison, Deakin University

Consumer confidence has fallen by 8.3% to its lowest level in two years, according to the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index. The drop has been connected to speculation about the impact…
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Sadly, survival of the fittest does not mean anyone will survive. Kaptain Kobold

Explainer: Theory of evolution

By Susan Lawler, La Trobe University

The theory of evolution encompasses the well established scientific view that organic life on our planet has changed over long periods of time and continues to change by a process known as natural selection…
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Psammomys obesus or the Israeli sand rat provides an insight into how the thrifty gene hypothesis may work. Tino Strauss

Explainer: Diabetes and obesity – the biggest epidemic in human history

By Paul Zimmet, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute

In the last few decades, the number of people with diabetes has more than doubled globally, making the combination of type 2 diabetes and obesity (known as diabesity) the largest epidemic the world has…
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Workers will see a percentage increase in their pay packet from today. AAP/Greg Wood

Explainer: What the new minimum wage really means for workers

By Anthony O'Donnell, La Trobe University

Fair Work Australia’s annual wage determination takes effect today. Importantly, we’re set to see award wages rise not by a single dollar sum, as in the past, but by 3.4%. This goes someway to addressing…
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An emissions trading scheme and a carbon tax are not the same thing. AAP

Explainer: The difference between a carbon tax and an ETS

By David Pannell, University of Western Australia

Since July 2012, Australia has had in place its carbon pricing scheme. It is commonly referred to as a “carbon tax”, but also as an “Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) with a fixed price”. And the plan is…
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AAP joint.

Explainer: What is synthetic cannabis or Kronic?

By Matthew Frei, Monash University

Synthetic cannabis, known commercially as Kronic, K2, Kaos or Spice, was designed to circumvent drug laws and give users a “legal high”. But Western Australia banned the product earlier this month and…
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A QANTAS A380 Airbus, one of the last international flights to depart Sydney International Airport shortly before a 3pm suspension of flights in Sydney on Tuesday. AAP

Explainer: Why can’t planes fly through volcanic ash?

By John Olsen

A volcanic ash cloud produced by Chile’s Puyehue volcanic eruption has circumnavigated the globe and floated over Australia twice, disrupting flights and leaving over 120,000 passengers stranded. The…
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Without quantum mechanics, we would not have the transistor. IvyMike/Flickr

Explainer: Quantum physics

By Michael J. Biercuk

This might surprise you, but there may be literally thousands, or even tens of thousands, of devices and components surrounding you right now that work because of our understanding of quantum physics…
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We’ve got the time, if you’ve got the theory. h.koppdelaney/Flickr

Explainer: the fifth dimension

By Samuel Baron

By now we’re used to the idea that the world has four dimensions: three spatial and one temporal. But what if there were a fifth dimension – what would that dimension look like, and how would it relate…
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As yet we can only guess what the Higgs boson might look like. DESY Zeuthen

Explainer: the Higgs boson particle

By Anna Phan, University of Melbourne

Theoretical physics is full of mysteries and unknowns. In the case of some particles, we can predict their existence even if we can’t find them. Such is the status of the Higgs boson. And yet detecting…
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Manufacturers may be forced to accept profit margins will continue to narrow.

Explainer: What a strong Australian dollar actually means

By Saul Eslake, Grattan Institute

The Australian dollar has been striking new post-float highs against the US dollar in recent weeks, and according to a number of prominent market economists could reach US$1.10 before the end of this year…
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Nanoparticles, as used in sunscreen, are readily absorbed by the body. Tony Bartlett/AAP

Explainer: Nanotechnology and you

By Michael J. Biercuk

For the public, the jury is still out on nanotechnology – the media simultaneously extols its promise and warns of the potential calamity facing humanity. But what is it? How does it work? Is it dangerous…
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Viewed from afar, the Milky Way might appear similar to the galaxy known as NGC 7331. R. Jay GaBany/NASA

Explainer: a beginner’s guide to the galaxy

By Michael J. I. Brown, Monash University

Where are we within our galaxy? How did our galaxy form? How did it evolve over the aeons? Astronomers have been asking these questions for the past century, and have recently begun discerning the answers…
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Is the “Z-prime” lurking within a “jungle” of particles at the LHC? Argonne National Laboratory

Explainer: the Z' (hypothetical) particle

By Jonathan Carroll

There’s nothing like an unexpected result to get physicists excited. So in 2008, when some strange behaviour was detected from a rarely-produced particle known as the “top quark”, there was much interest…
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Julia Gillard, with Defence Minister Stephen Smith and Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans, announcing the GST review in Perth on Wednesday. AAP

The winners, whiners and miners in Gillard’s GST review

By John Mangan

Why has the Federal Government launched a review into the distribution of GST revenue among the states? There are two reasons. One, there is a need for genuine reform in that the effective amount of GST…
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Could neutrinos be responsible for the shape of the universe? The Super-Kamiokande Neutrino Detector, Japan

Explainer: the elusive neutrino

By Roger W. Clay and Justin Bray

Of all the known particles in our universe, neutrinos are perhaps the most elusive; their origins are mysterious, their purpose unknown and they are notoriously difficult to detect. You’ll already know…
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The NBN could give all Australians access to online services. iStockphoto

Explainer: the National Broadband Network (NBN)

By Ian Oppermann, CSIRO

The big picture Australia’s plan for a National Broadband Network (NBN) represents one of the largest infrastructure projects in the world at present. The estimated $43 billion price tag has stirred…

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