The Science of Memory Manipulation & Why Wildlife is Invading Neighborhoods
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What are the leading causes of house fires?
Today on Something You Should Know, what's the leading cause of house fires? It's not your Christmas tree. Then, understanding memory and the new science of memory manipulation.
Memory manipulation means to either spark that memory back to life, or turning down the emotional volume of a particularly traumatic experience, or turning up the emotional volume of a particular positive experience that may have lost its luster over time.
Also, what to do and not do if the police pull you over? And why does it see more and more wild animals are moving into residential areas?
They're not really moving into our areas, we're moving into theirs. So we get more and more of these animals who are trying to figure out how they're going to continue to make a living with all of these houses and people and manicured lawns.
All this today on Something You Should Know.
Ah, the Regency era.
How can we manipulate our memories?
You might know it as the time when Bridgerton takes place, or as the time when Jane Austen wrote her books. The Regency era was also an explosive time of social change, sex scandals, and maybe the worst king in British history. Vulgar History's new season is all about the Regency era, the balls, the gowns, and all the scandal. Listen to Vulgar History, Regency era, wherever you get podcasts. Something you should know. Fascinating intel. The world's top experts. And practical advice you can use in your life. Today, Something You Should Know with Mike Carruthers.
You know, around the holidays, I think most of us are conscious of and careful about our Christmas trees. We want to keep them well watered because we don't want a Christmas tree fire. But Christmas tree fires are not the leading cause of house fires in the U.S. And that's what we're going to start with today on this episode of Something You Should Know. Hi and welcome. I'm Mike Carruthers. So as dramatic and tragic as Christmas tree fires are, they are not the leading cause of house fires. You know what is? Cooking. Leaving pots and pans on the stove unattended. But there are other causes of fires you may not even be aware of, but you probably should be.
Why would someone want to change a memory?
For example, wrong wattage light bulbs. If you've ever thought to yourself, it's probably okay to use this 60-watt bulb in a 40-watt socket, you're not alone. A lot of people do. However, installing a light bulb with a wattage that is too high for the lamp or light fixture is a leading cause of electrical fires. Batteries. If you store 9-volt batteries in your kitchen junk drawer, you could be putting your home at risk. When loose batteries roll around with other metals, like screws or paper clips, the two terminals on the battery could short out and generate enough heat to start a fire. It's best to put a piece of electrical tape over the terminals or store the battery in its original package. Dust, believe it or not.
Built-up dust can be a fire hazard if it collects in and around things like electronics, electrical sockets, and even floor heaters. And chimneys. Dead birds, raccoon nests, crack mortar, and built-up creosote are all common causes of chimney fires. If you use your fireplace, you should have your chimney swept out once a year. And that is something you should know. What is a memory, really? And what would it mean if you could change a memory? Imagine taking a painful memory and softening it, or enhancing a wonderful memory and make it even better. But if you can change a memory, is it still a memory, or is it something closer to fiction? What's fascinating is that scientists are getting closer to doing exactly this, and it raises big questions about how memory actually works.
We already know that our recollections are not perfect.
What are the implications of memory manipulation research?
Memories fade, distort, and lose detail. In a sense, we rewrite our memories all the time. But now, at least in lab animals, researchers can alter very specific memories with surprising precision. Here to explore what this means and where the science is headed is Steve Ramirez. He is an award-winning neuroscientist known for his TED Talks on memory manipulation.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What are the leading causes of house fires?
0:02–1:04
2
How can we manipulate our memories?
1:04–2:27
3
Why would someone want to change a memory?
2:27–4:19
4
What are the implications of memory manipulation research?
4:19–5:15
5
Why are wild animals increasingly entering residential areas?
5:15–6:45
6
What should you do during a wildlife encounter?
6:45–9:01
7
How should you behave if pulled over by the police?
9:01–12:29
8
What are the best practices for a calm police encounter?
12:29–48:14
Speakers
5 identifiedMore from Something You Should Know
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