Epistemic curiosity comes from a place of desire, as opposed to a place of need. This is the type of curiosity that has driven and continues to drive, inventors and scientists to do such brilliant work. It's often associated with the anticipation of reward, which doesn't necessarily mean financial gain.

What causes curiosity?

Dopamine is linked to the process of curiosity, as it is responsible for assigning and retaining reward values of information gained. Research suggests higher amounts of dopamine is released when the reward is unknown and the stimulus is unfamiliar, compared to activation of dopamine when stimulus is familiar.

What part of the brain makes you curious?

Curiosity leads to activation of several areas of the brain, particularly the regions known as the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area and the hippocampus. And connectivity between these same regions are associated with learning.