--- description: Neuroscientists have developed deeper understanding of how the brain stores memories in the brain title: What if Your Brain Could Confess? image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdd7f93ba537fb185/6988792aab6d7784556a7fa0/neuro-decode-memories.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Science](/section/science/) ## Science Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Research](/tag/research/) ## Research Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # What if Your Brain Could Confess?  by [Justin Worland](/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Senior Correspondent Jan 14, 2016 4:48 PM CUT  Getty Images  by [Justin Worland](/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Senior Correspondent Jan 14, 2016 4:48 PM CUT Neuroscientists have developed deeper understanding of how the brain stores memories offering the possibility that in the coming decades scientists may be able to decode memories. The possibility raises questions for policymakers about how such technology would reshape human society. Neuro-evidence could be introduced in courtroom proceedings and to disrupt criminal behavior while also presenting serious ethical questions. How would humans respond to knowledge that their memories may be searched at some point in the future? In this poll ahead of [the World Economic Forum in Davos](http://time.com/4175744/world-economic-forum-davos-2016/ "undefined"), TIME asks key questions about how neuro-evidence would change the way you live your life. The results of the poll will be presented in a panel hosted by TIME Assistant Managing Editor Rana Foohar in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4180172/neural-memories-decoding-davos-poll/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4180172/neural-memories-decoding-davos-poll/"},"headline":"What if Your Brain Could Confess?","datePublished":"2016-01-14T16:48:58.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T14:06:51.470Z","description":"Considering a future of \"Neuro-evidence\"","url":"https://time.com/4180172/neural-memories-decoding-davos-poll/","keywords":["Research","Poll"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdd7f93ba537fb185/6988792aab6d7784556a7fa0/neuro-decode-memories.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Justin Worland","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/justin-worland/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdd7f93ba537fb185/6988792aab6d7784556a7fa0/neuro-decode-memories.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"neuro-decode-memories","caption":"neuro decode memories","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/research/","name":"Research"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4180172/neural-memories-decoding-davos-poll/","name":"What if Your Brain Could Confess?"}}]}] ```