88 beachLIFE FEATURE MAGICAL MOMENTS OF TRAVEL
TRAVEL + SURPRISE + FUN + SENSORY-RICH =
LIFELONG MEMORY .
Those little , unexpected moments that happen on vacation are magical . And , it turns out , researchers are finally beginning to understand why . The short version ? Travel + surprise + fun + sensory-rich = lifelong memory . It turns out there ’ s meaning and value in spending time together , discovering something new .
The longer version ?
Researchers in neurobiology at Harvard Medical School studied the hippocampus ( located in the bottom middle portion of the human brain ) and learned new experiences activate sparse groups of neurons and interneurons , allowing them to link together . This sudden , flashing moment , triggered by the new experience , may be how our brains “ encode ” these moments . That ’ s the branching lightning bolt , firing off in your brain , forming memory connections !
We all know travel is associated with a host of new experiences that often lead to surprises . New landscapes , different architecture , food , language , and even dramatic temperature changes can be experienced , depending on the destination . What about snow skiing ? Have you ever been ? If so , do you remember the rush of fear and excitement as you faced your first bunny slope ? The crunching sound the snow made underneath the ski boots ?
But why bother , since young children aren ’ t going to remember these new experiences ? Well , it ’ s a bit more complicated than that . Researchers say children categorize and form memories differently than adults . They use the term “ childhood amnesia ” to explain why children ( and adults ) can ’ t typically recall events from before the age of 2 . Nora Newcombe , PhD ., a psychology professor at Temple University , explained memory falls into two