Scientists discover why you forget some memories and remember others

Life events you take time to reflect upon shortly after they happen are more likely to be etched into your brain as a long-term memory, neuroscientists have discovered. The researchers detected a consistent pattern of neurons, or brain cells, firing a small symphony of concerted electrical signals, shortly after events that were later committed to long-term memory during that night's rest. While these bursts of electrical activity inside the brain -- dubbed'sharp wave-ripples' -- are unconscious, the researchers said a person could raise the likelihood that a long-term memory is formed by reflecting on an event the day it occurred. Their findings offer sound advice for those struggling to remember what they binged-watched on Netflix, TikTok or any other platform with auto-loading videos. 'If you watch a movie and would like to remember it, it's better to go for a walk afterwards,' the head neuroscientist behind the new study said.