Derren Brown's Bootcamp for Memory

Ever been embarrassed to forget someone’s name? Mislaid your keys or flummoxed as to why you’ve gone upstairs? In this Audible Original Podcast Derren Brown and a whole bevvy of experts unravel the mysteries of memory to help you better understand how it functions and to improve your powers of recall. Over the course of eight episodes they combine cutting edge scientific research with powerful real-life stories and entertaining memory tests. And Derren unveils a variety of simple techniques to help you build a better memory.Episode 1: Memory – A Will Of Its OwnOur memory is a creative, rather than a mechanical process so we shouldn’t be surprised at its lack of precision. Memory is not a single brain function but a series of processes which evolved for different purposes and which don’t always work in harmony. So even the clearest of memories are invariably flawed, unreliable…and often downright false. But by understanding how memory works we can find ways to improve it.Episode 2: How Good is Your Memory?What does it mean to have a ‘good’ or adequate memory? We’ll gauge our abilities with simple tests, debunk the idea of photographic memory and learn how we’re all susceptible to false memories. Derren explains how engaging our senses can help us better encode and retrieve memories and introduces us to the ancient technique of Memory Palaces.Episode 3: How Memory WorksWe explore how our brain is made up of billions of neurons, each of which can make thousands of synaptic connections with other neurons. Derren tests the limits of short-term memory and we discover how ‘chunking’ techniques can extend our capacity. And we are introduced to a part of the brain vital to memory - the hippocampus - and find out how, with the right kind of memory exercise, we can make it bigger.Episode 4: How To LearnOur ability to learn depends on memory, so understanding how it works best can help us learn faster and remember longer. We discover the importance of motivation and paying attention, the value of ‘spaced learning’ and why se