The phrase "novel explanation" means a new or fresh way of explaining something, different from what has been commonly known or expected. Full definition
But the fund also offers two novel explanations for recent price weakness. (coindesk.com)
In Denial, biologists Varki and Brower (Brower died in 2007) propose a novel explanation for why humans surpassed all other species in mental prowess. (scientificamerican.com)
Scientists propose a novel explanation for one of the solar system's most mysterious formations (sciencemag.org)