Neurons are the tiny, hardworking cells in your brain responsible for everything you do, think, and feel. They’re like the messengers of your nervous system, constantly passing information back and forth at incredible speeds to keep your body functioning and your mind sharp.

The Purpose of Neurons
Think of neurons as the communication hubs of your body. Their main job is to send and receive signals between your brain and the rest of your body. Whether you're typing on a keyboard, reading this sentence, or remembering a fun fact, neurons are at work, making sure that information travels where it needs to go.

How Neurons Transmit Information So Quickly
Neurons communicate using electrical impulses. Here’s how it works: each neuron has a long, thin tail called an axon that acts like a wire. When a neuron gets "excited" by a signal, an electrical pulse called an action potential races down the axon, traveling as fast as 250 miles per hour!

But neurons don’t touch each other directly. Between them is a tiny gap called a synapse. When the electrical signal reaches the end of the axon, it triggers the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters cross the synapse and bind to the next neuron, passing the message along. This rapid-fire system allows information to travel across vast networks of neurons in the blink of an eye.

Why Are They So Fast?
Neurons are able to transmit information so quickly thanks to a fatty coating called myelin that surrounds the axons. This myelin sheath acts like insulation around a wire, helping electrical impulses move faster and more efficiently. The more myelinated the axon, the faster the signal travels—kind of like upgrading from dial-up to high-speed internet!