Have you felt happy or annoyed today, or perhaps nervous before an exam? These strong feelings, which we call emotions, accompany us every day and are a fascinating part of who we are.

But what exactly are they? Think of emotions as an internal navigation system. They are brief, intense reactions to what we experience or think. They assess in a flash whether something is good, bad or dangerous for us. Scientists assume that there are some universal basic emotions that people all over the world recognise, such as joy, sadness, anger, fear, surprise and disgust. Countless other emotions, such as pride, envy and compassion, are mixed in with these basic emotions.

When we feel an emotion, an ingenious chain reaction takes place in our body. The signal starts in the brain, more precisely in the limbic system, our emotional centre. When we feel fear, for example, the amygdala, a kind of alarm system, is immediately activated. It sends messages to the entire body via the nervous system. This triggers the release of hormones such as adrenaline. Suddenly, your heart beats faster, your breathing becomes shallower and your muscles tense up. Your body prepares itself for a reaction – such as flight or fight.

Emotions are therefore much more than just a feeling in our heads. They are a clever collaboration between the brain and the body that helps us to react quickly to our environment and cope in social situations.