logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2025
58m 54s

What's worth remembering?

Vox
About this episode
We like to think of memory as a record of the past. But that’s not really what it is. Memory doesn’t keep the past — it can also remake it. It stitches fragments into stories, and those stories — true or not — are what we end up calling our life, and sometimes, our collective history. Sean’s guest today is Charan Ranganath, a neuroscientist and author of a ... Show More
Up next
Jan 26
America is football
Why do we love football so much? Why does this sport dominate American culture in a way nothing else can? Why does it feel essential even to people who barely like sports? And what does it say about us that we keep watching, even as the risks and contradictions become harder to i ... Show More
50m 43s
Jan 12
How we built a government that can’t build anything
Why is it so hard for America to build things? Bridges take years to construct. Housing costs are soaring. Transit systems are crumbling. And we’re struggling to update our infrastructure to prepare for the climate crisis. Even when there’s broad agreement that something needs to ... Show More
45m 46s
Dec 22
It’s okay to not be okay
It’s not always the most wonderful time of the year. Every December, we’re told to be merry and stay positive. But a lot of us don’t feel that way. And when we don’t, the pressure to be happy makes everything worse. Sadness feels like failure. Grief feels like a personal mistake. ... Show More
58m 35s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
#334: The Memory Doc on The DISTURBING Truth About Why your Memories are a lie
tail spinning
1h 8m
Jul 2024
Introducing...Dangerous Memories
Introducing...Dangerous MemoriesWhen Sarah watched her 23 year old daughter cycle away from her in Chelsea - a well-off corner of London - she had no idea it would be the last time they’d see each other for 6 years. What would make a loving child from a life of privilege sever ti ... Show More
41m 10s
Oct 2024
Special Episode: Dr. Charan Ranganath & Why We Remember
<p>How is it that we can’t remember where we put our keys or the name of the person we just met, but we can recall in excruciating detail the embarrassing interaction we had at the grocery store ten years ago? Sometimes it seems like our memory works against us more than it does ... Show More
57m 27s
Aug 2022
How We Remember
What is a memory made of? Which parts of the brain help us remember? And what can taxi drivers’ brains tell us about how memories are made? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she dives into the science of memory, and how we reme ... Show More
30m 50s
Aug 2024
Big Little Questions
<p>First aired back in 2017, here’s a show of questions and, sometimes, answers. Cause, we get a lot of questions. Like, A LOT of questions. Tiny questions, big questions, short questions, long questions. Weird questions. Poop questions. We get them all.</p><p>And over the years, ... Show More
52m 55s
Dec 2024
The Neuroscience Of Memory: Deja Vu, Photographic Memory, Improving Cognition & Why We Remember With Charan Ranganath, PhD
Dr. Charan Ranganath is a prominent neuroscientist, a professor at UC Davis, and the author of the influential book “Why We Remember.” This conversation explores the profound intersection of neuroscience and human experience. Charan reveals that our most resonant memories resembl ... Show More
2h 30m
Nov 2024
Pourquoi oublions-nous nos souvenirs d’enfance ?
Si précieux soient-ils, nos souvenirs d’enfance nous échappent. Images brouillées, récit brouillon… Quand l’envie nous prend de les convoquer, force est de constater que ce qu’il en reste, c’est souvent du flou. Ce phénomène porte un nom : l’amnésie infantile. Comprenez : l’incap ... Show More
25m 1s
Feb 2025
Why We Forget & The Amazing Story of Your Body’s Atoms - SYSK Choice
People talk about “the power of touch” – but what does this power do? When you hug or shake hands or put your arm around someone – what is so powerful about that. This episode begins by exploring the power of touch and reveals how it improves our lives. https://www.youtube.com/wa ... Show More
49m 20s
May 2025
Do you know how your memory works? 🧠
Sleep Tight!, Sheryl & Clark ❤️👂📖 ✨ Want more stories and fewer interruptions? Join Sleep Tight Premium for ad-free listening, bonus bedtime stories every week, and personalized shout-outs for your little ones! Start your free trial now on Apple Podcasts or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠sleeptightpre ... Show More
25m 12s
Nov 2024
snatchable (feat. maggie freleng)
Episode 59: Meredith is joined by Maggie Freleng, host of the podcast, "Wrongful Conviction" for a couple of stories about real life CREEPS! They also debate: would you rather see a ghost or an alien? (Let us know.) And we reveal a few simple tips and tricks for how you too can g ... Show More
44m 5s