We remember little to nothing of early childhood — and a recent mouse study may help explain why

A new mouse study challenges the idea that the brain starts as a blank slate. Instead, the hippocampus — the brain's memory center — begins life densely overconnected, then gradually prunes those connections into more precise networks. Early on, neurons fire too easily, creating overlapping, imprecise memories. This helps explain why humans remember almost nothing from infancy — those early memories simply aren't specific enough to last.