Series
Table manners, love and dreaming: Why do we behave as we do?
“If you ever get close to a human ... be ready to get confused,” sang the Icelandic artist Bjork. We are social creatures but with our own unique quirks. Explainers aim to unpack the rules we live by (and break).
- Explainer
- Friendship
Can you learn how to make conversation? Here are some tips
Recounting a quirky fact you heard on a podcast or offering a compliment are just a couple of ways to kick off a conversation. But how do you keep the chat flowing, and perhaps make a new friend?
- Angus Holland
- Explainer
- Primary school
‘I don’t think of it at all as a gift’: Why it’s complicated being a gifted child
They’re sharp, curious – and prone to boredom or even bullying at school. Far from the smartypants cliches, some gifted children hide or stop learning. What is giftedness? And what’s life like for kids with stratospheric IQs?
- Angus Holland
- Explainer
- Explainers
Sit up straight! Who invented table manners and what are they for?
Everyone has rules at the table – even cannibals. But what actually is the reasons for tucking in your elbows? And when does etiquette tip over into snobbishness?
- Felicity Lewis
- Explainer
Do you need to make a will (and what happens if you don’t)?
Passing on your worldly goods can be fraught. Some families fight tooth and nail for their share in court – where what’s fair isn’t always the deciding factor.
- Angus Holland
- Explainer
‘A prevailing fixation’: Why do we love straight, white teeth?
Teeth are essential to everyday life – and they carry our secrets long after we’re gone. What do they know? (And what makes a “perfect” smile?)
- Angus Holland
- Explainer
‘Crucial for memory’: Why facts stick when you write them down
It might not be a window to your soul but it’s better for your brain. Why writing – once an ancient “handicraft” – is still worth doing well.
- Angus Holland
- Explainer
Where did budgie smugglers come from and why are they so popular?
Once they could get you arrested, now they’re a swimwear staple. How did budgies catch on in Australia, and who wears them now?
- Damien Woolnough
- Explainer
How does Netflix know what we want to watch?
Choosing what to view is hard work for humans, so Netflix curates your options for you. Should you be grateful or alarmed?
- Karl Quinn
- Explainer
‘Peak popularity’: Why names go in and out of vogue
One of the earliest names ever recorded was Enpap-x. But Alexander and Freya are ancient too. Some names catch on, others fade from glory. Why? And what are the rules on trading in your name for a new one?
- Angus Holland and Angus Delaney
- Explainer
‘Starting older’: Why we need a new word for retirement
Retire these days and you’re not so much crawling to a finish line as embarking on a new chapter. Is there a right time (given it’s not just about money) and what should you expect? We ask retirees for their insights.
- Angus Holland
- Explainer
‘Obviously lost. SORRY’: Madeleine’s only text as a bush ordeal unfolded
It took just a few wrong steps for Madeleine, 73, to lose sight of a remote walking track. Three days later, as searchers combed heavy forest, time was running out.
- Jackson Graham
- Explainer
Why do people join cults? And how do they get out of them?
It’s not just doomsday bunkers and goat’s blood. Cults are all around the world, including in Australia. What are the red flags and how do cult leaders operate?
- Sherryn Groch
- Explainer
‘Howzitgarn’: Where did the Australian accent come from?
What are the key characteristics of the Australian accent? How has it evolved – and is there only one, a couple or many?
- Karl Quinn
- Explainer
He’s best man but is dreading the wedding. Why is public speaking so scary?
It’s anxiety-inducing even for confident types. Why the fear that goes with talking in front of others? How can you overcome it?
- Jackson Graham
- Explainer
How do you make the right decisions in life? We ask a pilot, a psychologist and a much-loved author
Marriage, career, children – the big decisions in life can often be the hardest. Is there an optimal method for making a choice? And how do you factor in loss and regret?
- Jackson Graham
- Explainer
How did ‘mate’ become so Australian ... and what does it really mean?
Mate is a short word with a long history. How has the term evolved to become so recognisably Australian? And is it affectionate or not?
- Tony Wright
- Explainer
Love at first sniff: What’s the science of attraction?
For centuries, poets, writers, filmmakers and musicians have been captivated by the phenomenon of love at first sight. But what have scientists found out about it?
- Julia Naughton
- Explainer
‘An unexplored continent’: What is social dreaming?
War, unrest, pandemics – they all show up in our dreams. So imagine what collections of dreams can reveal – or even foretell – at key moments in history.
- Felicity Lewis
- Explainer
‘The dead know things the living don’t’: Why we celebrate Halloween
Halloween is an American thing, right? Not exactly. Here’s how it went from ancient rites to actual riots to sweet, family trick or treating.
- Jackson Graham and Felicity Lewis
- Explainer
A quarter of the world’s people observe Ramadan. What is it for?
A quarter of the world’s people, including 800,000 Australians, observe Ramadan. What is the purpose of this holy month? What can’t you do?
- Maher Mughrabi
- Explainer
It’s hot, tiring and crowded. So why do pilgrims do the Haj?
Every able-bodied Muslim is meant to do the Haj once in their lifetime. Why? What does it mean? And what do pilgrims do along the way?
- Maher Mughrabi and Felicity Lewis
- Explainer
When good beats evil: Why a million Australians celebrate Diwali
In this Explainer from our archives, we look at where Diwali came from and what it means today.
- Jewel Topsfield and Rachael Dexter
- Explainer
Where did Santa come from? Everything you wanted to know about Christmas
In this Explainer from our archive, we go behind the tinsel, to a cornucopia of customs and layers of legend in the festive season.
- Jackson Graham and Felicity Lewis
- Explainer
‘Super complex’: Why humans love some flavours and hate others
We love a taste “sensation” but where do flavours actually come from? How might rainforest taste? And what’s sonic seasoning?
- Jackson Graham and Angus Delaney
- Explainer
What makes a good (and bad) toy?
Fancy “educational” toys might not be the best for your child. What makes a toy good for a kid?
- Jackson Graham
Other series
Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2026
This year’s laugh fest has kicked off, with more than 2000 performers stepping up to the mic. Here, our writers take a closer look
- 10 stories
Hate of origin: Inside football’s most intense rivalry
Essendon and Hawthorn have hated each other for more than 40 years, from some old-fashioned thuggery and a fake drug scandal in the mid-80s to last year’s failed bid by the Hawks to poach the Bombers’ captain.
- 5 stories