Neuroscience Memory manipulation is the stuff of sci-fi. Someday it could be real Scientists are experimenting with strengthening or weakening memories Altering people's memory could become possible and even be therapeutic. But is it ethical? Tim McDonagh By Andrea Tamayo 9 seconds ago In the world of Harry Potter, one’s memory can be manipulated with the flick of a wand. Albus Dumbledore reels wispy memories out of his head and puts them in a Pensieve. If he later dunks his head in that magical basin, he can see his past experiences with lifelike clarity. Hermione Granger, meanwhile, uses the spell “Obliviate” to remove herself from her parents’ memories to protect them from the wizarding world. In real life, memories are not storable liquids or files that can simply be deleted. Memories are made when a person has an experience that triggers electricity to course through connections between the brain’s neurons. The more exposure to an experience someone has, the stronger the connections become. But they can also weaken over time, leading to forgetting. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.