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The Eureka Moment May Be An Important Part of the Memory-Making Process

Learn more about the aha! moments that may help sudden solutions turn into long-lasting memories.

BySam Walters
Image Credit: Monkey Business Images/Shuttertstock

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There’s something so satisfying about surprising “aha!” moments — those strange instances of insight that strike when you’re struggling with a problem and arrive at an answer suddenly, seemingly without warning. But is satisfying all that those moments are?

Apparently not, as it turns out that the flashes of inspiration you feel when a solution finally bursts into your brain are much more than pleasurable. They’re also an important part of your memory-making process.

Tied to surges of activity in your brain, these moments may shape your ideas into stronger memories, a new neuroimaging study suggests. Published in Nature Communications, the results may adjust the way we approach education, as environments that encourage learners to explore problems and experience “eureka” moments may lead to longer-lasting learning.

Read More: What’s Going On Inside Your Brain When Your Mind Goes Blank?

Example of the hidden picture puzzles in the black/white images on ...

  • Sam Walters

    Sam Walters is the associate editor at Discover Magazine who writes and edits articles covering topics like archaeology, paleontology, ecology, and evolution, and manages a few print magazine sections.

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