Why Do We Remember?

Once just a word, now a worldview — how a 20th-century invention came to shape everything from your phone to your future. Support the show! 

Ambition. We celebrate it, chase it, and reward it. But for many of us, ambition has become a double-edged sword—fueling overwork, perfectionism, and self-neglect. What if the problem isn’t having ambition, but where it’s coming from? Executive coach Amina AlTai has worked with e ... Show More

How code became the most powerful spell humans have ever cast. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day news ... Show More

Do you sometimes walk to another room in your house to get something, but then can’t remember what it was you wanted? Do you sometimes forget about an appointment or struggle to remember someone’s name?You may have chalked these lapses in memory up to getting older. And age can i ... Show More

We often think about our memories as a record of the past – but what if they’re only a selective and evolving version of it? Today’s guest is a world-leading memory expert who has a surprising message: we’re not supposed to remember everything. In fact, our brains are designed to ... Show More

Can memory improvement unlock a better life? Neuroscientist Charan Ranganath reveals how memory intertwines with happiness, relationships, creativity, and meaning. In his new book Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold on to What Matters, Charan shares research on how ... Show More

Why do you remember some things and forget others? When it comes to memory, your brain is programmed to forget. That’s why it’s not only important to train your memory, but understand the complex mechanism of how your brain actually records and retrieves the past. Your memories m ... Show More

Gwyneth is joined by the author of Why We Remember to talk about how memory works, how it shapes our identities, and what makes something memorable. Ranganath explains what he's learned from studying the brain and how it processes certain events, and he shares the short- and long ... Show More

Our memories are imperfect treasures – dear to our hearts but not necessarily accurate snapshots of reality. CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to neurobiologist Michael Yassa about how memories are stored in the brain, why we forget, and what we’ve gotten w ... Show More

In this episode of The School of Greatness, Lewis interviews Dr. Charan Ranganath, a renowned expert in neuroscience and author of "Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold On to What Matters." They delve into the fascinating world of memory, discussing how memories shap ... Show More

We rely on our memory to understand the world. But what if our memories aren't true? This week, we talk to psychologist Elizabeth Loftus about the malleability of memory — what we remember, and what we think we remember.For more on the science of memory, including how you can str ... Show More