Project Hail Mary

by Andy Weir

When you’re starving, your brain rewards you handsomely for finally eating. Good job, it says, we get to not die for a while!

Hey, I’m going to fall unconscious and hallucinate for a while. By the way, I spend a third of my time doing this. And if I can’t do it for a while, I go insane and eventually die. No need for concern.