Explain This
Our Planet
Is plastic in the sea going to kill all of us?
No. But the less dramatic truth is still ugly enough to demand action.
Let’s unpack itFOR THE EVERYDAY CURIOUSSoutheast Asian perspective. A world of questions.
NEW HERE?
What on earth is Izzitnot?
An online magazine for curious people, with easy reads on food, homes, design, money, technology and the world’s biggest stories.
Have a question worth sharing? We may select it, investigate the facts and turn the answer into a public story, reel or carousel—so it helps more than one person.
You ask. We check. We share.FOOD & EATING · IZZITNOT?
If food smells fine, is it safe to eat?
Your nose can spot spoiled food. It cannot detect every germ that can make you sick.
Let’s unpack it
GOOD QUESTIONS START CLOSE TO HOME
On your plate. In your home.
On your mind.
Useful reads for real life.
Photo: HannlivingWorth It?
Home & Design
Does an open-plan kitchen suit the way you actually cook?
Open kitchens look effortless in photographs. Real cooking comes with heat, noise, smells and dishes.
Let’s unpack it
Why Is That?
Money & Daily Life
Inflation is falling. Why is the food shop still expensive?
Prices can keep climbing even while politicians celebrate lower inflation.
Let’s unpack itLATEST READER QUESTION · ANSWERED
“What are the three most expensive Pokémon cards ever sold?”
Asked by Thierry · Seremban
✓SelectedWe chose the question.
✓InvestigatedWe checked completed auction results.
✓Published & sharedThe answer became a public story for everyone.
YOU ASK. WE CHECK. WE SHARE.
What have you heard that doesn’t quite add up?
Send us the food claim, money puzzle, home question or viral headline you want explained. Each week, we may select two or three, investigate the facts and turn the answers into public stories, reels or carousels that everyone can discover and share.
Ask Izzitnot?“Will AI leave today’s children without meaningful work?”
“Is expensive bottled water actually better?”
“Why do prices stay high when inflation falls?”
WATCH IZZITNOT
Tap when you want to watch.
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Top 5 AI risks that could end the world?
Mira breaks down five risks—and what the evidence says.
Can AI feel pain?
A new study found pain-like signals inside AI. That is not the same as suffering—but the behaviour matters.
Is AI taking over air traffic control?
AI can predict congestion and suggest a smarter plan. But who makes the final call?
FIND YOUR NEXT QUESTION
Four ways to get curious.
FOOD & EATING
We all eat.
Let’s get curious.
Everyday ingredients, food habits and the questions we bring to the table.
Explore Food & Eating ↗A LITTLE MORE PERSPECTIVE
Beyond the headlines.
Not every loud claim deserves the last word.
Why Is That?
The Wider World
What are the three most expensive Pokémon cards ever sold?
A Pikachu drawing sold for $16.5 million. A raincoat Pikachu and a Mudkip are next. How did children’s cards reach these prices?
Let’s unpack itExplain This
Our Planet
Will clean water become the next oil?
Water is becoming more valuable. But the real story is bigger—and stranger—than buying barrels of it.
Let’s unpack itExplain This
Our Planet
How fast is Malaysia losing its forests?
The football-pitch answer is dramatic. The honest answer depends on which forest loss you mean.
Let’s unpack itWorth It?
Money & Daily Life
Is expensive bottled water actually better?
Sometimes it tastes different. That does not mean it is safer, healthier or worth the price.
Let’s unpack itExplain This
Politics Explained
Does “record spending” mean better services?
A government can spend more money and still leave people waiting longer.
Let’s unpack itIzzitnot?
People & Technology
An urgent call asks for money. What should you check first?
The caller wants speed. Your best defence is to slow the moment down.
Let’s unpack itIzzitnot?
People & Technology
AI is entering air traffic control. Is it taking over the tower?
AI may soon help decide when flights move—but the person separating aircraft is still human.
Let’s unpack itIzzitnot?
People & Technology
Can AI feel pain?
Researchers found a “pain axis” inside AI models. That does not mean the machines are suffering—but what they did next matters.
Let’s unpack itExplain This
People & Technology
Top 5 ways AI could end the world—is any of this real?
From AI-assisted cyberattacks to a machine nobody can control: five very different dangers, and five very different levels of evidence.
Let’s unpack it
Why Is That?
The Wider World
What is the difference between an erhu and a morin khuur?
They both have two strings and a bow. But one is not simply the Mongolian version of the other.
Let’s unpack itExplain This
The Wider World
What would World War 3 actually look like?
It may begin with a map. You may first feel it through your phone, flight, fuel bill or supermarket.
Let’s unpack itWorth It?
Home & Design
Before you fall for the sofa, will it fit your life?
A sofa can fit the room perfectly and still be completely wrong for the people living in it.
Let’s unpack itIzzitnot?
Food & Eating
It says “natural”. Does that make it healthier?
A leaf on the packet is not a nutrition score.
Let’s unpack itWhy Is That?
People & Technology
Why does your phone battery hate the heat?
The phone on your dashboard has a bigger problem than the charging percentage.
Let’s unpack itWorth It?
Money & Daily Life
The bigger pack is better value. Izzitnot?
Sometimes the family pack is a bargain. Sometimes it is just more expensive waste.
Let’s unpack itWhy Is That?
Food & Eating
One bottle. Two servings. How much did you actually drink?
The number on the label may describe only part of what is in your hand.
Let’s unpack it
Why Is That?
Our Planet
What is the rarest colour in the world?
A purple fit for emperors. A blue with no blue pigment. The answer is more beautiful than a single colour name.
Let’s unpack itCurious, not cynical.
Plain language. Sources you can follow. The same questions for every side.
How we approach a story ↗