The reason we like fireworks so much: they scare us.

• Like lightning, the bright flashes warn us something is about to happen. This activates the amygdala, a little ball of nerves in the brain that detects fear.
• After the lights have stimulated the anticipation of a threat, the resounding crack of the firework confirms this perception in our brains. In response, our reward centers release a surge of dopamine (the feel-good neurotransmitter).

Fireworks might be especially mesmerizing to us because of their novelty.

As we watch these magnificent pyrotechnic stars explode, we’re exposed to injections of color we don’t normally see.