The neuroscience of motivation: what orexin neurons reveal about staying the course
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Researchers at Nagoya University identified orexin-producing neurons as the brain’s apparent mechanism for deciding whether a reward is worth pursuing. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study suggests these cells are doing something more specific than previously understood: not just regulating wakefulness and energy, but tracking the relationship between effort and expected payoff in real time. The experiments used rats and
The science section covers breakthroughs in medicine, physics, biology, and technology. We surface discoveries that expand what humanity can do, from new treatments reaching clinical trials to engineering feats that seemed impossible a decade ago. Every link goes to the original publisher so you can read the full study or press release yourself.
If today's breakthrough story sparked something, a live 1-on-1 tutor can take you from curious to competent. First lesson guaranteed or your money back.
Try Preply free →BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In an NHS trial of nearly 1,000 patients across seven hospitals in England and Scot…
Jaden Caradine knew he wanted to be an engineer at eight years old. He just took a winding road to get there. Before he …
Artistic concept of lunar surface technologies and infrastructure capabilities, including in-situ resource utilization o…
NASA, ESA/Hubble, D. Gouliermis NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captures a photogenic nebula, N44, in the Large Magellanic…
Most news feeds won't give you another one. Our morning letter will: one email at sunrise with the day's best good news.
Start tomorrow morning →