From addiction to everyday decision-making, impulsivity shapes much of our behavior. A new study reveals how dopamine, reward size, and learned expectations combine to push us toward premature actions—even when we know better. By showing that impulsivity rises with the value of anticipated rewards, the research offers a new framework for understanding why we sometimes sabotage our own best interests.

Jerusalem, Israel A new study led by scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, NASA, the Florida Institute of Technology, the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, and the University of Oxford has uncovered a connection between solar flares sudden outbursts of radiation from stars and short-term weather patterns on distant Earth-like planets.

A new study introduces choice engineering—a powerful new way to guide decisions using math instead of guesswork. By applying carefully designed mathematical models, researchers found they could influence people’s choices more effectively than relying on gut instincts or even traditional psychology. This discovery could pave the way for smarter, more ethical tools to improve decision-making in areas like education, health, and everyday life.