Despite their incorporeal form, memories have a way of becoming a very real part of our identity, like the pattern of freckles on your face or your favorite jacket might. Remembering a childhood friend while gazing off at a field of dandelions may be pleasant, but being sucked back into a bad memory -- a difficult breakup or a traumatizing loss -- can be unbearable. But what if, a la Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, we could simply erase those memories? It's something being explored, but Philipp Kellmeyer, a neurologist and head of the Neuroethics & A.I. Ethics Lab at the University of Freiburg, has several concerns. High among them is identity.

Some would argue that insanely successful people possess traits like having a vision, showing gratitude, being honest, learning from failure and having a high emotional intelligence. While these traits definitely play a role, the real secret to success comes down to science, particularly advancements in neuroscience, and how you can condition your brain to achieve your dreams and goals. The neuroscience of success can get complicated, but it's really about how your brain functions in three different areas: reticular activating system (RAS), the release of dopamine and your memory. If you're not a science person, I'll try and make this all as painless as possible. Located at the base of the brain where it connects with the spinal cord, there's one of most important parts of the brain: the reticular activating system.

Bad memories can haunt us for a long time, and in some cases, the impact of such painful experiences can last a lifetime. However, it is possible to bid adieu to such memories that cause stress and even induce insomnia in some individuals. Fear memories are developed in response to dangerous situations, however, not all such memories are beneficial to our survival, reveals a new study conducted by the researchers at the University of California, Riverside. The formation of these fear memories strengthens the connection between neurons in the brain. So, weakening these connections can help in erasing the memories, the research published Thursday in the journal, Neuron, reveals.