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The Strange Science of Memory

Our memories make us who we are, and as with anything involving the human brain, they’re pretty complicated.

Alex Dalenberg

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

Explore the mysteries of memory with this collection of fascinating articles that break down how we form memories, why we forget so much of our childhood, and the profound impact this has on our lives.

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Human Memory: How We Make, Remember, and Forget Memories

Human memory happens in many parts of the brain at once, and some types of memories stick around longer than others.

You’ll Probably Forget What It Was Like to Live Through a Pandemic

Memory researchers say these months will eventually become a blur for those of us isolating at home.

Total Recall: The People Who Never Forget

An extremely rare condition may transform our understanding of memory.

The Strange Case of the Woman Who Can't Remember Her Past—Or Imagine Her Future

The strange case of the woman who can’t remember her past—or imagine her future.

The Movie That Doesn’t Exist and the Redditors Who Think It Does

Hundreds of people online have shared memories of a cheesy ’90s movie called “Shazaam.” There is no evidence the film was ever made. What does this tell us about the quirks of collective memory?

11 Simple Ways to Improve Your Memory

Long-term, immediate, and habitual methods for keeping your memories fresh and clear.

Why We Forget Most of the Books We Read

... and the movies and TV shows we watch.

This Is Where Your Childhood Memories Went

Your brain needs to forget in order to grow.

How Long Can an Event Hold Humanity’s Attention? There’s an Equation for That.

Societies forget, and this physicist wants to know why.

A Quiet Revolution in Botany: Plants Form Memories

Inside a quiet revolution in the study of the world’s other great kingdom.

A Stranger in the House of Memory

Of the many experts who figured in Henry Molaison’s life, one man would change him into amnesiac patient H.M., but two women ensured he would never be forgotten.

Is Google Wrecking Our Memory?

Nope. It’s much, much weirder than that.

What It’s Like to Lose Your Short-Term Memory

An excerpt from Christine Hyung-Oak Lee’s memoir Tell Me Everything You Don’t Remember: The Stroke That Changed My Life.

The Amazing Phenomenon of Muscle Memory

Without the changes in the brain that allow you to learn new skills, nothing would be “as easy as learning to ride a bike.”