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Explainers

This Month

Google announces quantum computing breakthrough. Should we be excited?

Google has built a quantum processor called “Willow” that can solve a problem in five minutes that regular supercomputers would take longer than the lifetime of the universe.

  • John Davidson

November

Bitcoin is climbing back toward the elusive $US100,000 price level.

Bitcoin’s wild ride towards $US100,000 – and why it matters

The flagship cryptocurrency has resumed its advance this week as investors took advantage of a sharp sell-off. Analysts say volatility is to be expected.

  • Alex Gluyas
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to make social media safer for children.

Worried about the social media ban for kids? Read this

The pioneering age-limit laws are set to be approved by the Senate on Thursday. Here’s what we know (and just as importantly what we don’t know) about how they will work.

  • Paul Smith

When will we know the results? Plus everything else you need to know

Your key questions on the US election answered, including who is leading the polls, how voting works, and which states to watch.

  • Updated
  • Trudy Harris, Mark Mulligan and Clare Colley
Treasurer Jim Chalmers and RBA governor Michele Bullock.

Bullock says the economy is hot. Chalmers says it’s not. Who is right?

It is rare for a treasurer and a central bank governor to be at odds over the economic outlook, but that is precisely what is happening right now.

  • Michael Read
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October

“Matching algorithms” are used in real-world markets for organs, medical residents and university placements.

The algorithm that decides what uni course you get

Year 12 students applying for university this year will be allocated to courses based on a famous algorithm called “deferred acceptance”.

  • Richard Holden
Economic policies of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris would impact Australia.

Trade wars, market jolts: What a Trump win means for Australia

The tax and economic policies of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will have profound effects for Australian investors, exporters and US subsidiaries.

  • Matthew Cranston and Trudy Harris

September

The cost of sending your child to a private school – in seven charts

Just one year of tuition at a top-range private school will set you back at least $40,000, but demand keeps growing.

  • Julie Hare
There’s “much more heightened awareness on supporting younger talent and creating paths to step it up”, says Lisa Kay, head of delivery for Abundance Global.

The new corporate ladder is flatter than ever

What are the skills a modern-day executive needs, and if you have aspirations for leadership, how do you go about making it to the top?

  • Therese Raft
CSIRO says renewables deliver the cheapest electricity and a nuclear plant would cost up to $16 billion to build.

How much water does nuclear really need?

The Coalition’s plan for atomic energy has raised concerns about the amount of water that reactors will use in a hotter and drier Australia.

  • Christopher Niesche

Inside the high-tech sheds worth $24b to AirTrunk

From a single room holding a hard-working mainframe, data centres have evolved into major pieces of high-powered, high-tech infrastructure.

  • Campbell Kwan
Former Super Retail Group executives Rebecca Farrell and Amelia Berczelly and former Tabcorp chief executive Adam Rytenskild are all suing their employer for allegedly unfair dismissals.

How to sue your boss for getting fired, even if you earn $175,000-plus

If you’re paid more than that amount a year and aren’t covered by an award, you can’t bring an unfair dismissal claim. But that doesn’t mean you can’t act.

  • Euan Black

August

 The statistical tools of the credibility revolution are particularly important for informing public policy.

The two words you should always treat with caution in business

Sentences which begin “Studies show...” are often followed by a description of a correlation interpreted as if it were a causal relationship - when it’s not.

  • Richard Holden

The right to disconnect starts on Monday. Here’s what you need to know

Contrary to what some people think, it does not mean a blanket ban on employers contacting their staff after hours.

  • Euan Black

Why people really hate inflation, but politicians don’t get it

Prices are about 15 per cent higher than when the Albanese government was elected. People just hate that. The more interesting question is, why?

  • Richard Holden
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Dr Rachael Gunn, otherwise known as b-girl raygun, will compete for Australia this week.

Freezes and flares: The newest Olympic sport explained

Breaking is the latest sport to appear at the Olympic Games. But how does it work, how do you win and can you make any money from it?

  • Zoe Samios
Consumer data right is meant to make switching accounts and finding cheaper products easier.

Familiar with the consumer data right? Here’s why you should be

The philosophical basis for the right is that data generated by consumers of commercial services is their property and not that of the company.

  • James Eyers
A person looks at an electronic stock board showing Japan’s Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm.

What is the yen carry trade, and why is it now melting markets?

Japan’s debt market has long been an anchor for global investors thanks to rock-bottom interest rates, but the unwinding of that lucrative trade is adding to the panic.

  • Jessica Sier

July

The economics of being your own barista in four charts

Is making your coffee at home an expensive hobby or an economically rational response to higher coffee prices?

  • Daniel Arbon

Your guide to the Olympics: Who to watch and when

The Games are back and some of the world’s most decorated athletes will be centre stage. These are the events and competitors you won’t want to miss.

  • Zoe Samios

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/explainers-1lz9