Dmitriy Aronov News Today

Tiny, black-capped chickadees have big memories. They stash food in hundreds to thousands of locations in the wild – and then come back to these stashes when other food sources are low. Now, researchers at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute think neural activity that works like a barcode may be to thank for this impressive feat — and that it might be a clue for how memories work across species. Curious about other animal behavior mysteries? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

Black-capped chickadees use their remarkable memories to recall the locations of their stashed food, which will help them survive the winter. Read more here.

Chickadee brains make neural ‘barcodes’ to help recall thousands of hiding spots.