[[Deeper Learning]] begins with curiosity. When our curiosity is ignited, our minds are literally transformed as neurotransmitters activate key parts of our brain's analytical and memory areas. We are able to learn faster and retain what we are learning better.

According to a [https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-10/cp-hcc092514.php study] by researchers at UC Davis, when we are curious, a reward system is created in our minds by the release of a neurotransmitter called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine pull dopamine]. With its release, we feel more energized and joyful, and that joy flows over to other areas of learning.

The study revealed three major findings. First, as expected, when people were highly curious to find out the answer to a question, they were better at learning that information.

More surprising, however, was that once their curiosity was aroused, they showed better learning of entirely unrelated information that they encountered but were not necessarily curious about. People were also better able to retain the information learned during a curious state across a 24-hour delay.

As the lead author, Dr. Matthias Gruber, of the University of California at Davis, described it:

Curiosity may put the brain in a state that allows it to learn and retain any kind of information, like a vortex that sucks in what you are motivated to learn, and also everything around it.

Curiosity empowers our [[Creative Confidence]] by igniting the [[Flow]] within each one of us. It allows for us to creatively solve problems faster.

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