A language study from Germany was particularly fascinating to her. They had a group of students who were learning Dutch. The researchers played Dutch words while the students slept, and retention improved. Their memories were clearly enhanced from merely hearing the words while they slept. Then the researchers put a twist on it—they played the same words and added a single, one-pitch tone immediately after. A beep, basically.” “And?” “The tone blocked the formation of memories. It was astonishing: the students in that control group didn’t simply fail to improve; they regressed. Their memories
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