Memory

Researchers at EPFL have discovered a material that seems to be able to “remember” all of its past encounters with stimuli, such as electrical currents. The compound could come in handy for better data storage and processing.

Some have argued outsourcing our memory to smartphones is damaging our ability to remember anything properly, but a new study suggests that is not the case – digital devices may actually be freeing up our brains to remember more things overall.

It’s unsurprising but unfortunate that as we get older, our capacity to learn new skills diminishes. A new study by researchers at EPFL has found that non-invasive electrical brain stimulation can help older adults learn new motor skills much faster.

Scientists studying memory and learning in frog-eating bats have made a surprising discovery, demonstrating that they can recognize ringtones tied to food rewards up to four years later, which is believed to help them hunt in the wild.

Researchers at EPFL have found that an existing drug used to treat cancer, among other things, also seems to improve memory. Intriguingly, tests in mice show that the drug works by switching on genes associated with brain plasticity.

Scientists at University of California, Los Angeles have uncovered a key mechanism behind the retention of memories, and shown how targeting it with an existing drug used to treat HIV could strengthen human memory during middle age.

There's a belief that when someone loses one ability, another improves correspondingly. New research bears this out – in one scenario, at least – as it indicates that blind people remember spoken information better than their sighted counterparts.

Researchers in Japan have developed a new method for making 2-in wafers of diamond that could be used for quantum memory. The ultra-high purity of the diamond allows it to store a staggering amount of data – the equivalent of a billion Blu-Ray discs.

Scientists continue to illuminate the many ways exercise can positively influence brain health by examining its effects on the many forms of cognitive function, and the latest places a spotlight on our ability to recall past experiences.

Scientists have managed to watch memories form inside the brains of live fish in real time. And the results were intriguing – synapses formed in one part of the brain while disappearing from another, rather than strengthening as previously thought.

New research has found a particular species of gut bacteria can directly improve long-term memory in bumblebees. The study found a bacterial metabolite can improve cognitive function, offering insights into the link between the microbiome and the brain.

New research is shedding light on how specifically targeted pulses of magnetic stimulation to the brain can improve episodic memory. The work found inhibiting activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhances memory formation.