Supported by
You Are Here
How Mental Time Travel Helps Humans Predict the Future
Oct 17, 2017
|
14 videos
Video by
The Atlantic
Have you ever caught yourself daydreaming? Turns out that humans predict the future by using their memories. In this video, based on a recent article, The Atlantic science writer Julie Beck explains how functional MRI scans have allowed researchers to determine that the same brain structures involved in remembering the past are also utilized in forecasting. This means that when we envision the future, we are simply rearranging and reconstructing our memories—an ability known as "mental time travel."
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.
Authors: Alice Roth, Brianna Pressey, Atthar Mirza
About This Series
The incredible science behind everyday life