Podcast Summary: "The Science of Memory Manipulation & Why Wildlife is Invading Neighborhoods"
Podcast: Something You Should Know
Host: Mike Carruthers
Episode Date: December 18, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into two compelling topics: the cutting-edge science of memory manipulation—with guest neuroscientist Steve Ramirez—and the growing phenomenon of wildlife venturing into residential neighborhoods, with nature writer Randi Minotaur. Both segments shed light on how science and society intersect with our lived experiences, from the inner workings of memory to our evolving relationship with wild animals.
Segment 1: The Science of Memory Manipulation
Guest: Steve Ramirez, Neuroscientist, Boston University
Author: How to Change a Memory: One Neuroscientist's Quest to Alter the Past
Main Theme
Exploration into how memories are formed, how they can be altered or restored, and what memory manipulation could mean for mental health and society.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Why Manipulate Memory? [07:08]
- Scientific Curiosity: To understand how memory works by tinkering with its components.
- Therapeutic Potential: To restore mental health, as in easing symptoms of psychiatric disorders by alleviating traumatic memories or amplifying positive ones.
“The goal here is to understand how does memory work and then can we use that knowledge to figure out how to restore health and well-being back to the brain that those memories exist in?”
— Steve Ramirez [08:09]
2. What Is Memory, Really? [11:30]
- Ramirez likens memory to “what happens when an experience leaves some kind of lasting change in the brain, and we can revisit that change…”
- Memories are reconstructive, not carbon copies of the past—they’re reshaped each time we recall them.
3. Subjectivity and Inaccuracy of Memory [12:55]
- We all rewrite our memories—they don’t objectively match reality and may differ between people witnessing the same event.
“Memory is such a flexible, silly putty kind of thing that exists in the brain… reality doesn’t always have to match up with our internal subjective reality.”
— Steve Ramirez [13:31]
4. Dormant Memories & Triggers [19:00]
- The brain may store more than we realize. Forgotten memories can resurface with the right triggers, hinting at vast untapped reserves of experience.
“The fact that we can recall memories that were quiet for decades and they can come back to life gives me some reason to believe that our brain contains a lot more of our vast history than we originally thought.”
— Steve Ramirez [19:32]
5. We All Manipulate Our Memories [20:21]
- There’s an ‘optimism bias’—we often remember the past more fondly than it was, or sometimes worse, depending on our mood.
“…Our brains are not at all objectively recording what's happening with experience, but we might be in a good mood and that might make us remember the good times…”
— Steve Ramirez [21:12]
6. The Act of Remembering Alters Memories [21:34]
- Frequent recollection distorts memories; the first recall is often closest to ‘real,’ with subsequent recalls further warping details.
“The inconvenient truth … is that the memories that we hold dear, the ones that are the most real … are the ones that we don't recall, because those are left untarnished by the process of recollection.”
— Steve Ramirez (quoting Daniela Schiller) [22:01]
7. Shrinking Houses: The Child’s Perspective [24:05]
- The feeling that childhood homes are smaller upon revisiting is due to changes in personal perspective and growth.
“There's a mismatch … when we’re encoding those memories, we're a smaller version of ourselves…”
— Steve Ramirez [24:31]
8. Dementia, Alzheimer’s & Lost Memories [25:22]
- Are memories destroyed or just inaccessible?
- In animal studies, even “lost” memories (from amnesia, Alzheimer’s, etc.) can sometimes be reactivated, suggesting they’re still stored in the brain.
“…In almost all cases of amnesia … we’ve been able to artificially bring them back and find the cells that hold on to those memories and jumpstart those cells…”
— Steve Ramirez [27:04]
9. What Memory Manipulation Means [29:01]
- Practical goal is to spark dormant memories or adjust emotional intensity—not to erase—but to manage their influence on well-being.
“Memory manipulation means to either spark that memory back to life … or turning down the emotional volume of a particularly traumatic experience, or turning up the emotional volume of a particular positive experience…”
— Steve Ramirez [29:01]
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “Memories aren’t like a tape recorder of the past … they’re a reconstructive process.”
— Steve Ramirez [08:37] - “We’re just at the tip of the iceberg in understanding [memory].”
— Steve Ramirez [11:32] - “The more we know about our own memories … the better equipped we are to predict what happens when it breaks down.”
— Steve Ramirez [08:37] - (On bringing back memories in Alzheimer’s animal models) “That keeps my cup half full on this… we had every reason to believe that those memories were erased.”
— Steve Ramirez [27:04]
Segment 2: Why Wildlife Is Invading Neighborhoods
Guest: Randi Minotaur, Author of The Bear at the Bird Feeder
Main Theme
A thorough look into the reasons behind increased sightings of wild animals in populated areas, and how humans and wildlife can coexist.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Why Are We Seeing More Wildlife? [35:09]
-
Expansion of residential areas into former animal habitats is a key factor.
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Animals aren’t so much invading; humans are moving into their lands.
“They’re not really moving into our areas, we’re moving into theirs.”
— Randi Minotaur [35:12] -
Easy access to human food sources (trash, pet food, bird feeders) is a strong draw for many species.
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Bears, coyotes, and raccoons specifically adapt to urban food opportunities.
2. Changing Animal Behaviors [38:37]
- Some animals prefer proximity to humans for safety—e.g., foxes nest under porches to avoid predators.
- With repeated exposure, animals become bolder and less fearful of people.
- Bears’ keen sense of smell draws them to homes for treats like peanut butter.
3. Staying Safe: Human-Wildlife Interactions [40:55]
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Best way to get bears to leave: Make noise, appear large, and be annoying—not aggressive (works for black bears, not grizzlies).
“You can still intimidate the bear—or at least annoy it.”
— Randi Minotaur [41:02] -
Grizzly bears are much more dangerous than black bears; playing dead is sometimes the only survival strategy.
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Coyotes are generally not a threat to humans; incidents are rare and usually defensive.
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Feeding wildlife is strongly discouraged, as it habituates animals and can lead to dangerous encounters, often resulting in the animal being destroyed.
4. Animals Remember Food Sources [49:38]
- Once animals get food at a specific location, they’ll return—especially when feeding young or preparing for hibernation.
- Many wild animals are solitary and territorial, so you may see the same individual repeatedly.
5. Wider Patterns [45:45]
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Coyotes have thrived and expanded throughout the continental US, demonstrating their adaptability and resilience, while other species like mountain lions have declined.
“Coyotes are one of the few animals that has really thrived … they’re now in all 48 [contiguous] states, which is pretty amazing…”
— Randi Minotaur [46:10] -
Wild animals typically just want food, not human contact or confrontation.
6. Ethical Considerations and Coexistence [48:38]
- The debate: “They were here first.”
- Need for balance—respecting wildlife while protecting human safety.
- Repeated food rewards increase risk for both people and animals.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “But it does seem as if they're less afraid of humans ... they don't seem to care if we're around.”
— Mike Carruthers [38:24]
“That is absolutely the case. Some animals, in fact, really prefer to be around humans...”
— Randi Minotaur [38:37] - “Feeding the animals is just a rotten thing to do … it’s not fair to them. They are perfectly capable of finding their own food.”
— Randi Minotaur [48:25] - “It sure seems like it’s happening more and more. So it’s good to know what to do and what not to do and try to figure out how we can peacefully coexist.”
— Mike Carruthers [51:50]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [06:43] — Steve Ramirez joins to discuss memory
- [07:08] — Why manipulate memory?
- [11:30] — What is memory?
- [19:00] — Dormant memories and memory triggers
- [21:34] — Does recalling memories sharpen or distort them?
- [24:05] — Why childhood homes feel smaller
- [25:22] — Dementia/Alzheimer’s: Lost or inaccessible memories?
- [29:01] — What “memory manipulation” really means
- [34:48] — Randi Minotaur on wildlife in residential areas
- [35:09] — Causes for increased wildlife sightings
- [38:37] — Animal adaptation and bolder behavior
- [40:55] — Tips for bear encounters
- [45:45] — Expansion of coyotes in the US
- [48:38] — The ethics of feeding wildlife
- [49:38] — Wildlife’s memory and food sources
Memorable Quotes (Speaker Attributed, with Timestamps)
- Steve Ramirez:
“Memory is such a flexible, silly putty kind of thing…” [13:31] - Steve Ramirez (quoting Daniela Schiller):
“…the memories that we hold dear, the ones that are the most real memories in our brain, are the ones that we don't recall...” [22:01] - Randi Minotaur:
“They’re not really moving into our areas, we’re moving into theirs.” [35:12] “Feeding the animals is just a rotten thing to do to the animals.” [48:25] - Mike Carruthers (on facing wildlife):
“...when there is one a few feet away from you and you lock eyes with it, that is truly frightening.” [51:50]
Key Takeaways in Original Tone
- Memory is not a recording; it’s a living process—flexible, personal, and sometimes flawed.
- Memory manipulation in animals opens up big possibilities for human mental health, but the science is just scratching the surface.
- Wildlife is entering neighborhoods less because animals are changing, and more because we are changing the landscape and leaving out irresistible food.
- The best way to avoid trouble is to not feed wild animals, secure food sources, and respect personal and animal boundaries.
- While wildlife encounters may be increasing, understanding animal behavior and memory—whether our own or a bear’s—helps us navigate these interactions safely and ethically.