This week’s Discovery newsletter gets the truth behind dopamine, finds the asteroid with a slim chance of hitting Earth in 2032 ... and uncovers the gory backstory to Madame Tussaud’s waxworks. Plus, a living dinosaur in the Congo?

MICROGRAPH BY DR. NICK GATFORD, RESEARCH FELLOW/KAVLI INSTITUTE OF NANOSCIENCE DISCOVERY/UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD 

Dopamine is widely known as a “feel-good” hormone, a major reason why we may feel happy after a shopping spree or eating pizza. But now that the chemical has become an obsession, scientists who study it want to make it clear.

Related: Why dopamine drives you to do hard things—even without a reward

GRANGER/AURIMAGES 

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROGER DE LA HARPE, DANITA DELIMONT/ALAMY 

A living dinosaur? In the Congo Basin, reported sightings are up of the mokele-mbembe, a legendary dino-like creature said to lurk there. The sightings come as massive forests are being chopped down. What are witnesses reporting? 

A. Trees beginning to quake
B. Monkeys shrieking
C. Birds exploding in flight skyward
D. All of the above 

Today’s Soundtrack: Dopamine, Purple Disco Machine (feat. Eyelar)

Bonus Track: If It Makes You Happy, Sheryl Crow 

Today’s newsletter was edited and curated by David Beard and produced by Amanada Williams-Bryant. Sign up here to get tomorrow’s Top Ten stories of the week or catch Sunday’s Photo of The Week.