This hour of Radiolab, a look behind the curtain of how memories are made...and forgotten.
Remembering is an unstable and profoundly unreliable process--it’s easy come, easy go as we learn how true memories can be obliterated, and false ones added. And Oliver Sacks joins us to tell the story of an amnesiac whose love for his wife and music transcend his 7-second memory.
What is a memory? Science writer Jonah Lehrer tells us is it’s a physical thing in the brain… not some ephemeral flash. It’s a concrete thing made of matter. And NYU neuroscientist Joe LeDoux, who studies fear memories in rats, tells us how with a one shock, one tone, and ...
We start this section off with a question from writer Andrei Codrescu: "where do computers get their extra memory from?" And then we take it literally. Can you add memories? Dr. Elizabeth Loftus says yes. She’s a psychologist in the department of Criminology, Law and Society at ...
The story of a man who’s lost everything. Clive Wearing has what Oliver Sacks calls “the most severe case of amnesia ever documented.” Clive’s wife, Deborah Wearing, tells us the story along with Oliver Sacks. And they try to understand why, amidst so much forgetting, Clive remembers two things: Music ...
Comments [26]
This is impressive. Thanks!
Not sure why this episode does not even mention photographic memory and got more in depth about musical memory.
Also some individuals have extremely accurate memories and can't forget anything.
Especially people with autism or asperger syndrome.
I suggest a follow-up episode going more in depth.
Not surprisingly Music is something that Clive can't forget.
Music and sounds and hearing have the most immediate and direct connection to our emotions.
What is the drug discussed in the 'Eternal Sunshine' segment? They don't give the name of this drug. Does anyone know?
Well I listened to all shows and this is the only one that bothers me (ok one part of it only).I find the part with the painter horrible!Its over the top pathetic-the woman's comments is just....bad!
is there a transcript available for this?
Like i wrote in your comment section: "RE-play. The fact that people, "scientists" would rather fuck around messing with the sensetivities of innocent animals, rather than spending that time learning how to be quality human beings makes me sick."
I'm pissed,that you would even entertain the idea of enabling this kind of behavior towards animals by including it in your radio show ,in such a way, no matter what the 'justifications' are. I am disgusted, by this; and humans's feeling of entitlement towards,relying on animals to quench,their inine curiosity,and validate their college degrees and self worth.
If people would spend the time they do harrassing innocent animals and grow some balls, maybe they would actually,get people,to mourn and heal traumas from the past,like humans are supposed to do, rather than sidestepping,those issues ,and extending uneccesary suffering by projecting it on animals.
I heard a podcast the other day that I believe was somewhat old. I'm not entirely sure of the exact date but I think it was posted within the last year. It was about a man who could remember virtually everything he had ever encountered and had synesthesia. There was another man involved who also had synesthesia and was entered into a world memory championship but lost. Does anyone by any chance know the podcast I'm thinking of? If so please tell me the name. Thanks.
Just heard Memory and Forgetting two days ago. Is there a chance that there has been a significant change in what is known about suppressed memories in the 5 years since this program was created?
Hap, did you find that episode? It's called "Lost & Found" from season 9.
not realy complete
Hap, that's the episode on getting lost.
I am trying to get a transcript/podcast of your June 4 show. The piece I want is of the woman who, when turned around, lost her memory/mind/identity. She then found a group that deals with such an affliction. Please respond.
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The player isn't letting me return to the story to finish it without running through the thirty-eight minutes I've already heard.
Help?
Neither of these two theories is quite accurate. Elizabeth Loftus has done some groundbreaking work, but in terms of what actually happens in the brain, it would be worth checking out the concepts of pattern separation and pattern completion. Because memory cannot by nature be acontextual, it makes more sense that memories would be stored and retrieved in this "pattern" format. Nobody's really trying to interfere with somebody's life (no brainwashing), but really trying to understand the function of this essential element of the human experience.
If memories can only be recreated, then theoretically you could only ever remember something by accident. There has to be something holding the "blueprints" for these creations.
Maybe its a mixture of the filing room theory and the recreation theory, and administering that drug at the right time just completely severs any link to where that memory is located. It would be like having a shortcut to a program on your desktop, but having no path to the file.
amazing video of savant in UK drawing Rome from memory after a 45 minute helicopter ride
Beautiful Minds: Stephen Wiltshire
http://vdh.bz/7lz
I AM THE HUMAN, PRRRRRRRAAAAATTTT PRRRAAAAATTTT G UNIT, GET YO WEIGHT UP RADIO JAYKID IS IN THE HIZZOUSE BONGS AND BONGS AND BONGS AND BUBBLERS
none of this is real. thuglife4life
Boy, talk about memory. The comment below (the best to my recollection) is better understood by going to the "Limits" episode and listeing to "Limits of the Mind". It was the story of Mr. S .
I recall a story about a noted memory expert able to recall an extraordinary amount of "things", forward, backward or randomly. He would travel around displaying his unique ability. In addition, he was studied by those in the scientific field, pushed to the limit of memory. He never failed to amaze. To make a long story short, he eventually "flipped his wig". He no longer could form or hold his OWN thoughts without a flood of previous things remembered constantly bombarding his individual thoughts or ideas. These memories never stopped. Just imagine a hughe and endless amount of data interrupting you own thoughts to the point where you lose yourself, forever.
I believe this story is from "This American Life", if not here at Radiolab.
I loved this program and searched to find the podcast. It says so much about how and why we remember as we do. Both disappointing and facinating.
Ugh. I'm trying to listen to this radiolab from school, but it's so hard to stay attentive to it. The background noises and people talking over each other make it so difficult to concentrate.
Dr Sir
My name is Arsha. I am 20 yr old. 1st year B com student and also working in Infopark ACS as a transaction processor.Now i'm in a bad situation.I don't know what is happening....
Sometimes i forgot about my past. My parents,relatives,friends,,,,,forgot everything.My mind become blank,,,,,please help me if u can,,,,
arshasharshan@gmail.com
To my understanding they are treating the brain like some thing out of a scifi movie. They are using all different kind of methods to figure out the brain and its functions. I do believe that they are messing with GOD creation and we are soon going to be walking around like robots. Memory is a part of the brain and taking pills to see if ones memory can relocate might be a bit for fetch. Trying to erase memorys or inplant memory i think can be damaging. Scientist will always want to explore the imposibilties.
bla blabla
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