About this episode

This episode explores how the brain perceives time and its relationship with memory and emotions through an interview with Dr. Lila Davachi.

Ever wonder why time seems to fly or crawl? From ancient philosophers to modern neuroscientists, the nature of time has captivated human curiosity. This week on Science of Perception Box, we investigate the relationships among time, memory, and perception. Dr. Davachi shares the mechanisms of how the brain encodes and retrieves memories, including why emotions and feelings play a role in our perception of time. Lila Davachi is a prominent neuroscientist known for her research in the field of memory. She earned her PhD from Yale University in 1999 and currently holds a faculty position at Columbia University, where she leads the Davachi Memory Lab. Her work primarily focuses on understanding the processes of memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval through behavioral and cognitive neuroscientific methods. Dr. Davachi has made significant contributions to the understanding of how memories are formed and maintained in the brain. She has published extensively in academic journals, with her research being highly cited within the scientific community. In addition to her research, she is actively involved in teaching and mentoring students in psychology and neuroscience. Dr…

People in this episode

Host: Unlikely Collaborators

Guest: Dr. Lila Davachi

Topics covered

• perception
• memory
• neuroscience
• time
• emotions
• cognition

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Columbia University, Yale University, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Tiny Blue Dot Foundation

More episodes of Science of Perception Box

• The Hidden Rules Holding Society Together: Steven Pinker on Common Knowledge · September 9, 2026 · 44 min
• Your Brain Lies to You (And That's a Good Thing): Anil Seth on Consciousness · September 2, 2026 · 44 min
• Overcoming the Victim Mindset with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman · August 26, 2026 · 31 min
• Your Body’s Operating Manual: Andrew Huberman on the Mind-Body Connection · August 19, 2026 · 45 min
• Stop Trying to Fix People: Mel Robbins on the Power of Letting Go · August 12, 2026 · 49 min
• How Much Risk Should Kids Take? · August 5, 2026 · 51 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Science of Perception Box podcast page.