World Explained · Space
The asteroid that missed its radar appointment and turned out to be a comet
A near-Earth object failed to appear where gravity predicted. Its tiny unexplained push led astronomers to a faint tail and a new identity.
Big ideas made clear
Science & Space
Space, technology, geology, materials and everyday science explained without losing the wonder.
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World Explained · Space
The oldest light we can see fills the entire sky
Look in any direction far enough and you meet the same ancient glow: light released when the universe first became transparent, about 380,000 years after the big bang.
Australian Curiosity · Work and technology
What Australia's new workplace AI safety guidance means
The guidance does not ban workplace AI. It explains how existing health and safety duties apply to algorithms, automation, monitoring and software changes.
World Explained · Space
How a day on Venus outlasts an entire Venus year
Venus needs about 243 Earth days to turn once but only about 225 to orbit the Sun. Then its backwards spin creates an even stranger sunrise clock.
World Explained · Space
Why the Moon is slowly moving away from Earth
Mirrors left on the Moon reveal a change too small to see but large enough to reshape two worlds: the lunar orbit grows by about 3.8 centimetres each year.
World Explained · Aviation engineering
How the A350-1000ULR can stay airborne for up to 22 hours
Extra fuel is only part of the answer. The Project Sunrise aircraft combines a larger tank, higher take-off weight, efficient engines and a low-density cabin.
World Explained · Football technology
How semi-automated offside worked at the 2026 World Cup
The system combined optical tracking, 3D player models and faster alerts, but human officials still decided whether an offside position became an offence.
World Explained · Sports technology
What FIFA's Football AI Pro actually did for World Cup teams
Football AI Pro turned official match data into post-match tactical reports for all 48 teams. It supported analysts, but did not coach live or replace them.
World Explained · Aviation engineering
Why Airbus put more than 1,000 sensors on the Project Sunrise aircraft
The sensors turn a future passenger jet into a certification laboratory, measuring its new fuel system and cabin without permanently altering the aircraft.
World Explained · Aviation engineering
Why Project Sunrise needs a 20,000-litre rear fuel tank
The extra tank supplies the range Sydney to London demands, but its location also creates fuel-transfer, structural and certification work.
World Explained · Sports technology
Why every 2026 World Cup player was 3D scanned
A one-second scan created each player's tournament avatar. Exact body dimensions helped close offside calls and made broadcast explanations easier to recognise.
Australian Curiosity · Night sky
How Tasmania sometimes catches the southern lights
Tasmania is one of Australia's best places to look for aurora australis, but a forecast, dark southern horizon and realistic expectations matter.
World Explained · Ocean science
Why an octopus has blue blood and three hearts
Octopus blood turns blue because copper-based hemocyanin carries oxygen. Two hearts serve the gills, a third serves the body, and cold water complicates the whole system.
Original writingEvery story is written for this publication.
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