What most people miss
After a spike, the membrane needs a brief refractory period. That pause isn’t a bug — it forces the signal to move forward and sets a speed limit on how fast neurons can chatter.
Myelin doesn’t “add electricity.” It lets the spike jump between gaps (nodes of Ranvier), which is why some signals travel more than 100 meters per second.
Why it matters
Care, electrically speaking, is timing and recovery. Exhaust the reset and the message smears. Protect the timing and the system stays legible.
Human Life angle
We design around durable signals: clear peaks, honest recovery, systems that can fire again tomorrow.