How False Memories Feel Real

Did you know your brain can create memories of things that never actually happened?

Psychologists have shown that with repeated suggestions, people can vividly remember fake events

— like getting lost as a child — and feel completely certain they’re real.

Brain scans show these false memories activate the same areas as real ones, which is why they

feel so convincing. That’s also why two people can experience the same moment and remember it

in completely different ways. It’s not always lying. Sometimes,

the brain fills in gaps, edits details, and rewrites the past without you

ever realizing it. So the next time you remember something perfectly… ask yourself if