BOOK SCIENCE Interview with Lynne Kelly author of The Knowledge Gene
What if memory wasn’t just a skill—but a superpower embedded in our genes?
In this episode, I talk with science writer and memory expert Lynne Kelly about her remarkable new book, The Knowledge Gene. We explore the evolution of human creativity, the deep science of memory, and how ancient oral cultures used storytelling, song, and ceremony as sophisticated memory systems—long before the invention of writing.
We discuss the genetic clues behind memory and neurodivergence, the science of mnemonic techniques like memory palaces, and how understanding these systems can reshape how we think about education, knowledge, and even what it means to be human.
Plus: Stonehenge, songlines, memory championships, and a case for putting music and art back at the center of learning.
This is a wide-ranging and mind-expanding conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.