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It’s common for presidential candidates to announce their campaigns 18 months or more in advance of election day. Reuters/Carlos Barria

Everything you wanted to know about US elections but were afraid to ask

Global audiences have heard of US election terms like the primaries, the conventions and the Electoral College. But the history and exact meaning of these terms remains a mystery to many.
Cataracts are one of the leading causes of visual impairment globally. Rakesh Ahuja, MD/Wikimedia Commons

Explainer: what are cataracts?

More than a million Australians have an untreated cataract and hundreds of cataract surgeries are performed daily, but what are they?
A Hanjin Shipping Co ship stranded outside the Port of Long Beach, California, one of many around the world. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Explainer: why Hanjin’s ships are stranded around the globe

South Korean Hanjin Shipping has ships and crews stranded in ports around the world as creditors and customers wait to see if the company can be saved.
The government has introduced a bill into the parliament that provides the details and mechanics of the proposed plebiscite on same-sex marriage. AAP/Mick Tsikas

Explainer: the same-sex marriage plebiscite

While Australians finally have some detail of the proposed plebiscite on same-sex marriage, there is no guarantee that the question will be put to the people on February 11 next year.
Australia’s political representatives have the ability to legislate on a wide range of matters. Marriage is one of them. AAP/Mick Tsikas

Explainer: what is parliament’s role in the marriage equality debate?

As the government hints the marriage equality plebiscite may be delayed until 2017, calls intensify for the parliament to legislate on the issue instead. So what is parliament’s role here?
The average margin in gold medal games across the last four Olympics is 3.5 goals in men’s competition and 1.5 goals in women’s competition. Reuters/Laszlo Balogh

What makes a winning water polo shot?

Three things go a long way to deciding water polo medallists.
Psychoanalysis is based on the belief our behaviours have an underlying cause from earlier in life. from www.shutterstock.com.au

Explainer: what is psychoanalysis?

Freud recognised the idea of an unconscious in his work in the late 1800s. He proposed physical symptoms often express deeply repressed conflicts and thoughts.
Athletes must execute their individualised race plan to the best of their ability to win. Reuters/Michael Dalder

Explainer: what makes a winning swimmer?

Races at the international level are often decided by as little as 0.01 of a second.
In some people AMD progresses so slowly that people do not notice the change in their vision. Ken Wu/Unsplash

Explainer: what is age-related macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration affects the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. Age-related macular degeneration is the main cause of blindness in Australia.
Rugby Sevens serves as the perfect example of how lifelong dedication to a single sport might not be the only pathway to Olympic success. Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters

Why talent transfer is key for a winning rugby Sevens team

The gold medal-winning Australian women’s rugby Sevens team is a shining example of talent transfer from other sports.
The act of taking a census is as old as civilisation itself. AAP/Dean Lewins

Explainer: what is the census, and why does it matter?

Census data have a real impact on the lives of Australians, from determining political representation through the distribution of electorates, to the allocation of government funding.

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