Five Surprising Facts About Memory You Should Know

1. Memories Are Like Learned Skills. They Never Truly Disappear

Over time and through life's twists and turns, we might think we've lost certain memories. Whether it's a momentary or temporary lapse, it's crucial to know that memories don't vanish. They might just become less accessible, but you wouldn't forget a skill you've mastered, right? Memory, much like driving a car, is simply something that occasionally needs a "refresher."

2. Often We Remember Things That Never Really Happened. Is the Mind Deceptive?

Researchers answered this question in an article published last year in the esteemed Scientific American, which examined what happens when our mind conjures a stray thought. The study found that these memories are created by the brain itself, based on a list of words presented to dozens of participants. Interestingly, many participants added their own word, related to those on the list, despite it not being present originally.

3. Can We Rely on Our Memory as an Accurate Record?

If memory were perfectly reliable, we wouldn't need exercises to improve it. One key finding from the same study mentioned was that memory tends to be more "concise" rather than "accurate." In other words, we don't recall events exactly as they happened. Human memory isn't designed to store vast amounts of detailed information, so we tend to create general concepts to remember.

4. Quantitatively Speaking, How Many Memories Can Our Brain Actually Hold?

Given the brain's limited storage capacity, it carefully selects which events are saved in our memory based on chronological importance. This means what happened yesterday will be remembered over what happened a year ago. Other past events may fade because forgetting is the brain's way of filtering out old, less relevant memories.

5. Is There a Natural Way to Enhance Memory?

Aside from the myriad of online memory improvement exercises, there is a natural tip you might not have heard about—smelling rosemary. A study at Northumbria University in the UK found that the scent of rosemary can enhance our ability to remember past events and keep the brain young and healthy over the years.

Watch Rabbi Dr. Eyal Ungar's enlightening lecture and learn how to improve your memory skills: