FROZEN

Today, scientists are wondering if the new strains of creatures emerging from their laboratories also have a hidden Achilles’ heel. For example, today there are about thirty-three different “smart mouse” strains that have enhanced memory and performance. However, there is an unexpected side effect of having enhanced memory; smart mice are sometimes paralyzed by fear. If they are exposed to an extremely mild electric shock, for example, they will shiver in terror. “It’s as if they remember too much,” says Alcino Silva of UCLA, who developed his own strain of smart mice. Scientists now realize that forgetting may be as important as remembering in making sense of this world and organizing our knowledge. Perhaps we have to throw out a lot of files in order to organize our knowledge.