Watch Memory for free

Five leading experts offer diverse and thought-provoking insights into the science of memory, exploring its malleability, neural underpinnings, and even its unexpected development through gameplay. Featured contributors include Lisa Feldman Barrett (Northeastern University), Alcino Silva (UCLA), Elizabeth Loftus (UC Irvine), Matthew Walker (UC Berkeley), and Fred Gitelman, former world bridge champion. (Note: Though listed, Jennifer Groh is not mentioned in the featured lineup—if included, she should be added to the official credits.) Fred Gitelman, former world champion in bridge, describes how dedicated bridge players often develop exceptional memory abilities—not through formal training, but as a natural result of intense, long-term cognitive engagement with the game. Alcino Silva (UCLA) discusses groundbreaking experiments in which he and his team have successfully manipulated specific memories in mice, revealing the mechanisms of memory formation and recall at the molecular and circuit levels. Jennifer Groh (Duke University) highlights the role of the hippocampus not just in memory, but in spatial awareness, suggesting a compelling link between our sense of place and our ability to remember. Elizabeth Loftus (UC Irvine), a pioneer in memory research, explores how easily memory can be distorted, showing how false memories can be implanted and how this has serious implications for areas like eyewitness testimony. Matthew Walker (UC Berkeley) reveals how sleep is critical to memory consolidation, emphasizing the importance of sleep in retaining newly acquired information and protecting long-term memory. Lisa Feldman Barrett (Northeastern) offers a neuroscientific perspective on emotion and memory, discussing how our brains construct both experiences and recollections based on context, prior knowledge, and bodily signals.