Why Do You Remember The Past But Not The Future?

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE ↓ More info below ↓ Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime The laws of physics don’t specify an arrow of time - they don’t distinguish the past from the future. The equations we use to describe how things evolve forward in time also perfectly describe their evolution backwards in time. So the brain is a thing ruled by the laws of physics - why does the brain and the conscious experience that emerges from it, see the arrow of time so clearly? In other words why do we remember the past and not the future? Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://pbsspacetime.com/ Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Matt O'Dowd Graphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski & Adriano Leal Directed by: Andrew Kornhaber Assistant Producer: Setare Gholipour Executive Producers: Eric Brown & Andrew Kornhaber End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRl6-nb4iOnsij-vnpAjp0Q Special Thanks to Our Patreon Sponsors: Big Bang Sponsors: Clinton Robinson Sean Maddox Brodie Rao Scott Gray Ahmad Jodeh Radu Negulescu Alexander Tamas Morgan Hough Juan Benet Fabrice Eap Mark Rosenthal David Nicklas Quasar Sponsors Christina Oegren Mark Heising Vinnie Falco Hypernova Sponsors Ben Delo L. Wayne Ausbrooks Nicholas Newlin Mark Matthew Bosko Justin Jermyn Jason Finn Антон Кочков Alec S-L Julian Tyacke John R. Slavik Mathew Danton Spivey Donal Botkin John Pollock Edmund Fokschaner Joseph Salomone Matthew O'Connor chuck zegar Jordan Young m0nk Hank S John Hofmann Gamma Ray Burst Supporters Robert C Schupp Anthony Kahng MD3 Endre Pech Daniel Jennings Cameron Sampson Pratik Mukherjee Geoffrey Clarion Astronauticist Nate Darren Duncan Lily kawaii Russ Creech Jeremy Reed Derek Davis Bill Blair Eric Webster Steven Sartore DrJYou David Johnston J. King Michael Barton Christopher Barron James Ramsey Mr T Andrew Mann Jeremiah Johnson fieldsa eleanory Peter Mertz Kevin O'Connell Richard Deighton Isaac Suttell Devon Rosenthal Oliver Flanagan Dawn M Fink Bleys Goodson Darryl J Lyle Robert Walter Bruce B Ismael Montecel Andrew Richmond Simon Oliphant Mirik Gogri David Hughes Mark Daniel Cohen Brandon Lattin Yannick Weyns Nickolas Andrew Freeman Brian Blanchard Shane Calimlim Tybie Fitzhugh Robert Ilardi Astaurus Eric Kiebler Craig Stonaha Martin Skans Michael Conroy Graydon Goss Frederic Simon Greg Smith Tonyface John Robinson A G Kevin Lee Adrian Hatch Yurii Konovaliuk John Funai Cass Costello Geoffrey Short Bradley Jenkins Kyle Hofer Tim Stephani Luaan AlecZero Malte Ubl Nick Virtue Scott Gossett Martin J Lollar Dan Warren Patrick Sutton John Griffith Daniel Lyons DFaulk Kevin Warne Andreas Nautsch Brandon labonte