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A recent study published in Nature Communications sheds light on why emotional memories are often more vivid and lasting than non-emotional ones.


Neuroscientists recently found that specific brain waves, called ripples, help strengthen and replay emotional memories, making them more vivid and easier to remember. This discovery could lead to new treatments for memory-related conditions like PTSD.

There is a legend that many hundreds of years ago—long before printing presses, computers, or telephones existed—a special method was used to remember significant events, such as land transfers, crucial agreements, or weddings. According to the legend, a child was chosen to witness the event and immediately thrown into a river. This extreme combination of events was believed to ensure that the child would never forget that specific event.

But why might such a method have worked? Although this historical method may seem extreme, our ancestors may have been onto something crucial: When an event is combined with a strong emotional reaction, it becomes easier to remember.

For a long time, researchers have been able to offer a specific explanation for why some events are stored in our while others are not. However, learning and memory may not be as straightforward as once thought. New research from DANDRITE shows that experiences that are not directly relevant to a memory can still impact the strength of that memory, paving the way for the development of entirely new memory-focused learning tools.

WASHINGTON — SpaceX resumed launches of its Falcon 9 rocket early Aug. 31 after the Federal Aviation Administration ended a brief grounding of the vehicle.

One Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 3:43 a.m. Eastern, placing 21 Starlink satellites into orbit. It was followed at 4:48 a.m. Eastern by another Falcon 9 lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base’s Space Launch Complex 4E, also delivering 21 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The 65 minutes between launches is the shortest interval yet between Falcon 9 launches.

The launches were the first by SpaceX since the Aug. 28 launch of a Falcon 9 where the booster was lost during landing on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. While the rocket successfully placed its payload of Starlink satellites into orbit, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a halt in Falcon 9 launches later that day to investigate any public safety implications of the failed landing.