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Made to Last

How do we form memories that last a lifetime?

Feature type Video

Read time 25 min read

Published Apr 14, 2021

BASE editorial team BASE writers and editors who live and breathe adventure every day. We love adventure storytelling as much as we love adventure itself.

How do we form memories to last a lifetime? Neuroscientist Helena Backlund Wasling identifies three key stimuli: a life-changing experience, a moment that ignites a fire for a new passion, or an event that inspires a change in perspective

In 2020, Klättermusen put the theory to the test. They planned a 7-day hiking expedition in Áhkká, northern Sweden. To partake, they assembled a group of five brave individuals with one shared trait – a complete lack of trekking and hiking experience – choreographer Sasha Jean-Baptiste, musician Johan Karlsson, professional boxer Constantino Nanga, surfer Sandra Johansson and actor Mahmut Suvakci.

Exposed to the will of nature, the group had to overcome demanding environmental challenges with a mix of excitement and fear of the unknown. Every day presented a new test for their minds and bodies, bringing a sense of completion and achievement after each phase of the journey.

So, how would they fare and how would they remember the experience in years to come?

“I caught up with participants six months after,” explains Helena Backlund Wasling. “I found that for all of them, being present in the outdoors and taking on new challenges had formed long-lasting memories.”