A 2018 study found that when faced with the prospect of finding new information, our brain triggers what’s known as an incentive salience response. This desire to know can be so strong that it leads us to engage in impulsive behavior in order to find the answer.

Our brain craves novelty. It’s what pushed us forward as a species. Every time we examined our environments, tried new things, and were eager to teach what we learned to our children or those around us, we were able to grow as a species. Learning is so important to us, that information stimulates our brain in the same way as food and sex, and is li... See more