INTERESTING: IDK that there is episodic and semantic memory

Saturday, February 7, 2026

https://nautil.us/new-study-throws-a-wrench-in-our-understanding-of-memory-1264259/?_bhlid=e0d3c18d795d8b8a3c70ffdcc28c270df227359f

Neuroscience
New Study Throws a Wrench in Our Understanding of Memory
Some types of memories may not be stored as differently as we thought
By Jake Currie January 28, 2026

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Traditionally, explicit long-term memory (the intentional, conscious recollection of things and experiences) is divided into two subcategories: episodic memory and semantic memory. Episodic memory, as its name indicates, is the recollection of experiences—places, time, and the emotions associated with them. Semantic memory, on the other hand, is the recollection of general facts and information.

To put it simply, you rely on semantic memory to win a game of bar trivia, but you rely on episodic memory while recounting the story of your victory to friends. Or at least that’s what psychologists believed. New research from the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham and the Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge published this week in Nature Human Behavior is blurring the lines between the two.

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I find the whole lack of understanding of “humans” quite amazing and quite unfathomable.  We know so little about how we perceive “reality”.  And, the more is learned about quantum mechanics, the less of what we know is correct.  Newton’s Laws of Motion are “wrong” when in “quantum mechanics”.

Birds see colors that we can’t; dogs hear what we can’t; and we can’t even understand “intelligence” in other species.

Sigh!

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HEALTH: A Missing Link Between Concussion and Alzheimer’s?

Thursday, December 4, 2025

https://nautil.us/a-missing-link-between-concussion-and-alzheimers-1184691/

Neuroscience
A Missing Link Between Concussion and Alzheimer’s
Viruses may play a surprising part
By Katharine Gammon January 27, 2025

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Itzhaki says in the future she wants to look into how to interrupt the damaging processes that unfold following traumatic brain injuries, such as those suffered in soccer, boxing, and football. She is aiming to test antivirals and other medications to reduce the inflammation caused by viruses that could be reactivated after a brain injury.

Though they are far from a perfect proxy, brain organoids will help her and others to continue this work.

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This is interesting to me in that Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that robs people of memories and condemns them to an expensive end of life disaster.

Even football’s NFL, the NFPL, and individual players are recognizing the risk of the “sport”.  

Boxing should be restricted because we’ve seen the effect.  Muhammed Ali is the poster child for the damage.  There has to be a more civilized way to have this sport made safer.

Hopefully there will be a cure before too many more are lost.

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