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The inability to remember has long been considered a failure of the brain, but a new study has found that our brains are actively working to forget memories in order to retain the truly important information.
In fact, the study’s researchers believe the brain is not designed to keep memories intact, but its actual purpose is to only hold onto valuable information to optimize intelligent decision making overtime.
"It's important that the brain forgets irrelevant details and instead focuses on the stuff that's going to help make decisions in the real world," says Blake Richards, author of the study and associate fellow in the Learning in Machines and Brains program.
The new University of Toronto paper was published Wednesday in the Neuron journal. Paul Frankland, a senior fellow at CIFAR's Child & Brain Development program, who was also involved in the study, says,"We find plenty of evidence from recent research that there are mechanisms that promote memory loss, and that these are distinct from those involved in storing information."
Source: RT
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday June 24 2017, @04:08AM (7 children)
How can you remember that? I thought they did it either at birth or 8 days old.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Saturday June 24 2017, @04:18AM
My mother took me for a walk in my stroller and I told her that my pee-pee hurt after I took a bath. The next thing I remember is being in an operating room but had no clue what it was. The next thing I remember is being in that stroller again and my mother asking if my pee-pee still hurt.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by coolgopher on Saturday June 24 2017, @04:18AM
Make anything traumatic enough and you either suppress/forget it, or remember it forevermore, I guess...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 24 2017, @04:54AM (4 children)
Of all men, 30% have been circumcised; of all circumcised men, 68.8% are Muslim.
Traditionally, Muslims circumcise boys when they are 7-to-12 years old; this is also the same age for non-Muslims in the Philippines, where it is a bizarre tribal ritual, and African tribes tend to do it to older teenage boys. South Koreans, who picked up the practice from Americans, also do it to boys when the are about 10 years old.
Now you know.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 24 2017, @05:27AM (2 children)
Now blame MDC for talking about his dick.
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Saturday June 24 2017, @05:37AM (1 child)
I wear trojan magnums. I was advised to do so by two different professionals.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by captain normal on Saturday June 24 2017, @05:53AM
I am not going to ask what profession. I can only surmise. (From my own experience of course). :-)
When life isn't going right, go left.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 24 2017, @06:03AM
I hope you never find out about Australian aborigines, if just a nip of the tip makes you queasy.