Some science for Saturday morning

[Figarosmom]

Last edited Sat Feb 7, 2026, 01:28 PM - Edit history (3)

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In reality, a more accurate description would be: This is what a kinesin protein might look like — if it were especially colorful.

While scientists have not produced actual images or videos of such molecules with the clarity of this visualization, increasingly precise microscopic techniques and tools have allowed a detailed characterizations and direct observations of their movement. A groundbreaking paper published by Nature in 1993 detailed for the first time the nature of a kinesin movement — if you're wondering, each step is just about eight nanometers long.

Because this picture shows an artist's visualization of a kinesin protein in a white blood cell and not a myosin protein in a neuron, and it is not an actual video but a representation, we rate the claim that this picture is a visual representation of "happiness" as false.

[sl8]

1. Snopes rates this as "False":

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/what-happiness-looks-like/

Is This 'Walking' Protein What Happiness Really Looks Like?

A computer-generated visualization of a kinesin protein has been circulating on the internet for years affixed with descriptions that convey varying levels of inaccuracy.

Alex Kasprak
Published July 26, 2017
Updated April 3, 2023

Claim: A viral animation shows a myosin molecule transporting endorphins, which can be thought of as a visual representation of the feeling of happiness.

Rating: False

Origin
Since at least 2014, one of the Internet's most viral scientific images has been an animated gif showing a protein with "legs" strutting along a filament while carrying a large undulating orb. Viral posts originating on Imgur and 9gag have suggested that it is a visual representation of happiness itself:

[...]

[Figarosmom]

2. Should have read why

They consider it false.

Because this picture shows an artist's visualization of a kinesin protein in a white blood cell and not a myosin protein in a neuron, and it is not an actual video but a representation, we rate the claim that this picture is a visual representation of "happiness" as false.

[sl8]

4. I did read it.

The video is a complete mischaracterization of the animation. It doesn't illustrate something taking place in the brain, it illustrates something that happens in a white blood cell.

If you had posted the animation with an accurate description, I wouldn't have criticized it. As it is, it's just misinformation designed to garner more views.

I appreciate that you added part of the accurate description of the animation to your post. It would be even better if you included the part that says it's not about brain neurons or happiness. Of course, that would negate the entire description in the Youtube video.

(I typed this reply while you were editing your reply to me, but posted in the wrong place.)

On edit:
I appreciate that you edited the OP to point out that the happiness part was incorrect.

[sl8]

3. Moved post.