stackyFACTS
Health

Neurological action potentials fire as all or nothing spikes

HERE’S THE INTERESTING PART

Your highly sophisticated nervous system possesses absolutely zero capability for nuance. When a neuron decides to fire an electrical signal, it either triggers a massive, full-strength voltage cascade or it does absolutely nothing at all. Every single complex emotion and brilliant idea you have is generated by millions of microscopic binary switches aggressively slamming on and off.

Neurological action potentials fire as all or nothing spikes
STACKY / Health
One discovery leads to another.

Keep exploring facts in this topic.

Health →
STACKY FOR IPHONE

A bigger world.
One discovery
at a time.

Keep discovering with Stacky. Interesting facts in an app that is always within reach.

Download on the App Store
ONE MORE DISCOVERY?

Keep exploring

All in this topic →
Acetylcholine triggers immediate muscle action
Health

Acetylcholine triggers immediate muscle action

A single squirt of this specialized neurochemical is the only reason your limbs obey your commands instead of hanging uselessly. It specifically binds to…

Discover more
Olfactory receptors in the human nose are capable of distinguishing and remembering up to fifty thousand different specific scents, directly linking those smells to the memory centers of the brain.
Health

Olfactory receptors in the human nose are capable of distinguishing and remembering up to fifty thousand different specific scents, directly linking those smells to the memory centers of the brain.

Olfactory receptors in the human nose are capable of distinguishing and remembering up to fifty thousand different specific scents, directly linking those…

Discover more
Myelin sheaths insulate fragile nerve fibers
Health

Myelin sheaths insulate fragile nerve fibers

Much like the cheap plastic coating on your phone charger, your neural wiring relies on a fatty layer to keep signals from short-circuiting. Myelin strictly…

Discover more
Ganglia operate as miniature processing hubs
Health

Ganglia operate as miniature processing hubs

Instead of sending every tiny issue up to headquarters, your nervous system sets up localized bureaucratic outposts to handle minor decisions. These dense…

Discover more
Temporal-lobe seizures trigger intense religious obsession
Health

Temporal-lobe seizures trigger intense religious obsession

It turns out that a sudden, overwhelming urge to write terrible poetry and talk to God might just be the result of a misfiring temporal lobe.…

Discover more
Gamma aminobutyric acid acts as a neural brake
Health

Gamma aminobutyric acid acts as a neural brake

To prevent your processing systems from constantly short-circuiting in an overactive frenzy, your body deploys this chemical to force everything to relax.…

Discover more
StackyMore discoveries in the app
Download on the App Store