"The Science of Forgetfulness: Unraveling the Big Idea"

Our brains are designed to forget the majority of what we experience in a day, and this is actually beneficial. Episodic memory, the ability to recall past events, allows us to mentally time travel, relive past experiences, and consider the future. As we age, episodic memory declines, but this may be a natural part of our brain's evolution, with younger adults needing sharper memory for survival and elders focusing on passing down wisdom. Understanding the purpose of forgetfulness can provide comfort, as it suggests that our brains are functioning as they evolved to do.