Can we really trust our memories? We tend to think of memory as an accurate storage of experiences in the brain that can be accessed when needed. But this video from The Guardian (watch, runtime: 07:35) tells us that we reconstruct, rather than relive, our past experiences every time we access them. By changing and adapting the narratives themselves — ‘reconsolidation’ in psychologist-speak — we can become vulnerable to memory manipulation.

Research has shown that new information can enter a person’s memory modifying what we remember of the original experience. This could be through media coverage, for instance, or through skilled questioning by a professional. This understanding of why our memories really can’t be trusted has serious consequences for the criminal justice system, so heavily reliant as it is on witness testimony. More positively, it also opens up paths for medical or therapeutic intervention to help people suffering from conditions such as depression or PTSD.