You’ve likely seen some version of this scenario on television or in the halls of a university: A researcher runs out of the lab in a frenzy, electrified after suddenly arriving at the solution to an impossible problem. These “aha!” moments are supremely satisfying, whether you’re a scientist, a hard-bitten detective or an unlucky horror movie actress realizing that something’s just not right.

But what happens to us in the moments just before the light bulb turns on? New research from Ohi