Best Of: The New Science of Improving Your Memory

Best Of: The New Science of Improving Your Memory

From The Next Big Idea by Next Big Idea Club

April 2, 2026 · 1h 12m

About this episode

This episode explores the science of memory and how it shapes our identity, featuring insights from neuroscientist Charan Ranganath.

The French filmmaker Jean Renoir said, "The only things that are important in life are the things you remember." But what do you remember and why? That's the subject of Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold on to What Matters by pioneering neuroscientist Charan Ranganath. He explains why you still know the lyrics to the song you loved in eighth grade but can't remember the name of your kid's eighth-grade teacher, how memory shapes your identity, and what you can do right now to improve your recall. (This episode first aired in April 2024.) The Next Big Idea is now on YouTube! You can find our episodes ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Follow Rufus on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, subscribe to our ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠, or send us an email at ⁠podcast@nextbigideaclub.com⁠. The best way to support the show is by becoming a Next Big Idea Club member. Learn more at ⁠⁠nextbigideaclub.com⁠⁠, and use code PODCAST for a super secret discount (spoiler: it’s 20% off). Sponsored By: Fabric — Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family at ⁠⁠meetfabric.com/nbi⁠⁠ Factor — Head to ⁠⁠⁠factormeals.com/idea50off⁠⁠⁠ and use code idea50off to get 50% off your first box Granola — Get three months free…

People in this episode

Host: Next Big Idea Club

Guest: Charan Ranganath

Topics covered

  • memory
  • neuroscience
  • identity
  • recall
  • self-improvement

Keywords

  • memory
  • neuroscience
  • recall
  • identity
  • self-improvement
  • Jean Renoir
  • Charan Ranganath

Sponsors

Granola, Fabric, Factor, Shopify

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