What Exactly IS a Memory?

[00:00] Memories are biological magic that enable you 

[00:07] With them, your mind can encode, store and 

[00:12] But memories are not static like photos.

[00:15] Like dioramas made from wax, 

[00:19] spotlight of your attention they 

[00:23] Which is a bit concerning because they 

[00:28] They are the personal lore a lot of your  

[00:30] identity is based on – and the basis 

[00:35] What does it mean if they change?

[00:37] And more fundamentally… What IS a memory? How 

[00:45] Your Brain is Weird Madness

[00:48] The human brain is the most complex thing in the 

[00:54] Scientific models work but are not 

[00:57] It's a bit like talking 

[01:00] But in a nutshell, what makes you think and feel 

[01:07] Extremely complex electrochemical root 

[01:12] through synapses – tiny gaps between cells, where 

[01:18] bridges the distance, is received 

[01:23] This is how neurons talk to each other.

[01:25] And it's a busy conversation because a typical 

[01:31] Together they’re a network of 

[01:35] A hundred times more than galaxies 

[01:40] From these connections the 

[01:44] To create purpose in this chaos some 

[01:48] Whenever two neurons fire at the same time their  

[01:51] synapses change and their 

[01:55] They become buddies if you want, and 

[01:59] If we zoom out, patterns emerge.

[02:01] Dozens or thousands of neurons 

[02:06] These columns are very basic 

[02:09] that process a tiny piece of all the 

[02:13] like dark and light, a location in space, how 

[02:19] You have columns for sound, images, touch etc, 

[02:25] These columns are the gears of the 

[02:30] It’s the fundamental hardware you emerge from.

[02:33] Everything you see, hear, or feel causes the gears  

[02:36] to move – which means your 

[02:40] But for you to have a coherent experience,  

[02:42] these very different gears 

[02:45] Any moment you perceive is 

[02:48] As you are watching this video, your eyes 

[02:52] your visual cortex, your ears transmit 

[02:57] language areas are decoding my words, while other 

[03:03] All these signals are processed in deeper 

[03:07] boosting what seems important right 

[03:12] Vastly simplifying, this concert of all 

[03:16] wheels and screws comes together to create a new 

[03:22] A new pattern of synchronized activity 

[03:28] This assembly of very different 

[03:30] is what gives you the experience of 

[03:35] So the assembly active in your brain 

[03:39] hearing my voice and learning about memories.

[03:41] But this is only activity 

[03:45] like ripples on a pond, nothing will remain.

[03:48] Without memories you will forever 

[03:51] To become a being that transcends 

[03:56] sensory inputs, these temporary moments, 

[04:01] And how does your brain decide what becomes 

[04:07] How To Store The Past

[04:10] In reality there is not just one 

[04:13] Your brain can’t process everything in the 

[04:17] so different assemblies 

[04:19] The details are complicated, but at any moment,  

[04:22] one assembly is winning and deemed 

[04:26] This is what you are aware of right now.

[04:29] In your brain, the assembly 

[04:32] speaking to you seems to be 

[04:35] Your brain thinks this matters 

[04:39] Two things are happening right now:  

[04:41] The neurons of the winning assembly are bathed 

[04:46] to change and tie them closer together, 

[04:50] And the memory center and librarian of your 

[04:56] The details here are super complicated and 

[05:01] But in a nutshell, your 

[05:04] saving the rough configuration of the assembly.

[05:07] The assembly is saved and put 

[05:11] memories that are associated with 

[05:14] Like “everytime I was confused by 

[05:19] Finally you have a memory!

[05:21] An activation pattern of millions of neurons, 

[05:26] Activating any part of the pattern now 

[05:31] are able to relive a moment of the past 

[05:36] But this new memory is very 

[05:40] Your hippocampus holds its blueprint,  

[05:42] but without reinforcement, the assembly will 

[05:47] This is why you forget most moments of your life,  

[05:50] why you don’t remember how your coffee 

[05:55] You experience most of your life 

[05:59] And you don’t just forget what happens to you 

[06:04] Most news stories disappear within days,  

[06:06] and often you never even saw the 

[06:09] This is why we’ve partnered with Ground News,  

[06:12] a media literacy tool whose 

[06:15] Their app and website let you compare coverage,  

[06:18] explore context and see how 

[06:22] You can even see how bias shapes the narrative.

[06:25] Take this study on Alzheimer’s risk in women.

[06:28] More than 40 articles were published on it: some 

[06:33] others highlight the benefits of hormone therapy.

[06:35] You’re actively weighing 

[06:38] deeper engagement helps your brain to remember.

[06:41] Most importantly, Ground News reveals "blind 

[06:46] showing you what your usual news feed is hiding.

[06:49] As information bubbles become the norm, thinking 

[06:55] And Ground News makes it easier to do just that.

[06:58] Try it via the QR code on the screen or 

[07:03] Our link below gives you 40% off 

[07:07] and directly supports our channel.

[07:10] And now, back to your brand-new memory!

[07:13] For the past to be truly saved, the 

[07:18] There are many ways this can happen:

[07:20] One of them is novelty.

[07:22] If you walk to the bus, listening to 

[07:26] this assembly’s signal is too weak.

[07:29] This moment in time will be 

[07:33] But if one day you see a crow and 

[07:36] only for a mouse to steal it – the assembly will 

[07:42] Another one is to reactivate the memory 

[07:46] Thinking about the animal fight all 

[07:49] strange event will etch it deeper into your brain.

[07:52] Similar to doing loads of repetition 

[07:56] And a major way to make a memory 

[08:01] Emotions are really strong mechanisms  

[08:03] to guide our behavior that evolved 

[08:07] They motivate you to avoid danger, 

[08:11] You experience this as 

[08:14] Whenever you feel something strongly, your 

[08:18] on is important for your survival, 

[08:23] So many of your strongest memories 

[08:27] The humiliation when you acted 

[08:30] The joy when you beat your dad at Mario Kart.

[08:33] The devastation when your dog died.

[08:36] The overwhelming love when 

[08:40] If we just made you feel something, we increased 

[08:45] Strong activation, repetition and 

[08:49] We said before that chemicals made the neurons 

[08:55] Like wax warming up and melting together, 

[09:00] to fit more tightly – neurons grow more 

[09:06] They become closer and more solid.

[09:08] A lot of this happens while you sleep.

[09:10] Your hippocampus replays the assembly over and 

[09:16] – which also means that if you don’t sleep 

[09:21] Think about that when you have to study for 

[09:25] you’ll be wasting your time.

[09:27] But in the end you have a proper long term memory.

[09:30] A diorama of hardened wax, 

[09:34] A scene etched into a pattern 

[09:38] Now you can remember it forever! Well…

[09:42] Why Remembering Changes Your Memories Forever

[09:45] To remember you need a cue for the memory, 

[09:50] A smell, sound, word or maybe 

[09:55] Your hippocampus searches its index for the cue,  

[09:57] hopefully finding the right 

[10:00] It fires.

[10:02] Your past experience is retrieved.

[10:04] The diorama appears in your mind and you 

[10:09] So far so good.

[10:11] But as the diorama plays for 

[10:15] Recalling memories is not like 

[10:19] Under the light of your attention 

[10:22] Moldable.

[10:23] Which means that as you experience 

[10:27] involved are bathed in chemicals that make 

[10:32] Your hippocampus organizes memories based 

[10:36] the context of the experience.

[10:38] And the context is now very different.

[10:41] When you formed the memory you were tired, in a 

[10:46] Right now you are pulling the memory as you 

[10:50] and are telling them your hilarious 

[10:54] And this new context seeps into the memory.

[10:58] New connections form, some synapses 

[11:03] The diorama changes, becomes 

[11:07] Not because you want it to,  

[11:08] your brain is just incorporating the new 

[11:13] As you finish your story, the 

[11:16] the diorama hardens again, now in a new form.

[11:20] The next time you remember the animal fight,  

[11:22] you will remember it as way funnier 

[11:26] And it is the same with all your 

[11:29] your brain adds new information or forgets some, 

[11:35] In a sense it updates your past life to 

[11:40] Over time, even core memories can shift, combine 

[11:46] Your memory system is deeply intertwined with 

[11:51] designed to create an accurate 

[11:54] So your memories are updated as you 

[11:58] Ironically, the more you 

[12:01] the less of the original experience remains.

[12:04] This also means that just because you remember  

[12:06] something really well it does 

[12:10] It just means that its assembly 

[12:14] It’s not a sudden process, your 

[12:18] It is a slow shift in the overall 

[12:22] You are who you are today, but your 

[12:26] they will think and feel differently 

[12:31] This is also why therapy can be so helpful.

[12:34] By revisiting hurtful memories in a safe context,  

[12:38] ideally with helpful introspection, 

[12:42] Literally rewiring yourself 

[12:46] Because yes, your memories may be the lore 

[12:52] But it turns out, with some help you may be able 

[13:02] And if you want to rewrite the lore of your home,  

[13:04] new human made, original Art Prints 

[13:09] Choose a dramatic meteor shower, 

[13:14] powerful volcanic eruption – 

[13:18] Each print is created with bold neon colors and 

[13:23] The sturdy frame is designed to stand solo on 

[13:29] when the light hits it just right, it 

[13:33] Get yours now and literally