![The "Barcodes" Powering These Tiny Songbirds' Memories May Also Help Human Memory - podcast episode cover](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/04/04/chickadee1_sq-2bc26227980f2cdde4a637e6dd62461287d26575.jpg?s=3000&c=66&f=jpg)
Episode description
Tiny, black-capped chickadees have big memories. They stash food in hundreds to thousands of locations in the wild – and then come back to these stashes when other food sources are low. Now, researchers at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute think neural activity that works like a barcode may be to thank for this impressive feat — and that it might be a clue for how memories work across species.Curious about other animal behavior mysteries? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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