What caused the earthquake, how dolphins sleep and the answers to life’s mysteries

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Did you know that last night’s earthquake was, in all likelihood, caused by the rock underneath us slipping at an underground fault because our tectonic plate is gradually pushing north?

What about the fact that, since federation in 1901, only eight out of 44 proposals put to the Australian people in a referendum have been approved?

Oh, oh, here’s a good one: dolphins sleep by switching off half their brain at a time, so they remain semi-conscious to guard against predators.

Our explainers aim to fascinate readers with the context you need to truly understand the news.Credit: Dionne Gain

As well as providing you with ammunition to impress people at dinner parties, or perhaps repulse them depending on the company you keep, these facts illustrate something special about The Age that separates us from other media outlets.

We aim to not only bring you news and feature articles, but also provide the context you need to understand them. When possible, we break down stories into their component parts and show you how they work. Too few publications place emphasis on this kind of reporting. I value it immensely and judging by our reader analytics, you do too.

As subscribers, you probably already know that we have an entire unit dedicated to “explainers”. That group of journalists aims to fascinate readers with the context you need to truly understand the news and explain interesting or complex elements of the world around us. It is not cheap journalism. It requires time, care and consideration, but we think it is a worthy investment of your subscription.

Our explainer team is led by Felicity Lewis, who is one of the finest and most meticulous editors I have worked with. She is without peer in her attention to detail and willingness to turn over every stone in pursuit of perfection. Felicity works with reporters across The Age newsroom, and at the other publications in our stable, to create explainers relevant to their respective areas of expertise. She also has her own team – Angus Holland and Jackson Graham – dedicated to these special reports, which are often complemented by some of the finest efforts of our artists and graphic designers.

They report on everything from the cause of strokes to Russian oligarchs. We’ve explained time travel, Formula 1 cars, elections and the 15-minute city conspiracy theory. You can browse all our explainers here, but be warned, you could lose hours to browsing if you click that link. And for some extra insights into the story behind the stories, it’s well worth signing up for Felicity’s weekly Explainer newsletter.

Our explainers have been turned into books and created the spark required for many dinner table discussions around the country. You and I, subscriber, are extremely lucky to have a team of this calibre explaining the seemingly inexplicable to us with such artistry and thoughtfulness. You can find our latest explainers on our homepage most days. There is often one in the “editor’s picks” section (can you tell I’m a fan?).

The other great asset we have to help our subscribers understand how the world works is the country’s leading science writer, Walkley Award winner Liam Mannix. Again, his work is something your subscription buys that readers of other publications don’t have. Today, Liam is writing about earthquake warning systems. Yesterday, it was back pain. No matter the topic, Liam’s passion for science is contagious, but it is his commitment to the truth – with all its ugliness and imperfection – that puts him in a class of his own.

Even if science is not your preferred Trivial Pursuit topic (give me a yellow question any day), I would heartily recommend Liam’s newsletter, Examine. Each Tuesday he unpacks a new topic in an accessible, conversational way. He has built a community of the inquisitive and I know he relishes the engagement it generates in the same way I enjoy your feedback on this note. Examine has become one of our most successful newsletters as a result. So if you’ve been missing out on the fun up until this point, I would encourage you to sign up here.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the results of an investigation Liam has been working on that should make the whole country sit up and pay attention.

Once again, I’d like to thank you for your support through your subscription. Without it, we would struggle to pursue this kind of meaningful, explanatory journalism. With it, we can produce world-class reporting.

Now, I’m off to read our explainer on table manners before a big family dinner tonight. Did you know that in a book of Islamic dining rules put together in the 16th century by Muhammad Badr al-Din al-Ghazzi of Damascus, he condemns the dining style of “the annihilator” who leaves “only scattered bones in his wake”?

And here I thought that by keeping my elbows off the table and pointing my fork downwards I was a picture of etiquette.

Have a great week everyone!

Patrick Elligett sends an exclusive newsletter to subscribers each week. Sign up to receive his Note from the Editor.

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