SYSK TRENDING: Understanding Déjà Vu

Something You Should Know

Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia

Science, Self-improvement, Social Sciences, Health & Fitness, Education

4.5 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Almost everyone has experienced déjà vu—that strange, fleeting feeling that what’s happening right now has somehow already happened before. It can be subtle or intensely vivid, sometimes even a little unsettling. For a moment, it feels like your brain is replaying reality. But is it just a glitch in memory… or something more? Scientists have been trying to understand déjà vu for decades, and the answers are more fascinating than you might expect. Is it a sign your brain is working correctly—or a sign something is off? Why does it tend to happen in certain situations and not others? And why can it feel so real, even when you know it isn’t? Anne Cleary, professor at Colorado State University and one of the leading researchers studying this phenomenon, joins me to explain what’s really going on inside your brain during a déjà vu experience. She is the author of The Déjà Vu Experience (https://amzn.to/3ErC6Fm), and in our conversation she breaks down the science behind this eerie sensation, why it happens, and what it reveals about how memory actually works. She also has a fascinating TED Talk on the subject you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFAvUkjba-Q If you’ve ever paused mid-moment and thought, “Wait… I’ve lived this before,” this is an explanation you won’t want to miss. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dutch.com⁠⁠⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Have you ever had that strange feeling that what's happening right now has already happened before,
0:08.0	like you've lived this exact moment, same place, same conversation, same, everything?
0:14.0	Well, that eerie sensation is called deja vu, and it's more common and more fascinating than you might think. Since it happens so often, we're diving into what's really going on in your brain when you experience it.
0:27.6	Is it a memory glitch, a prediction error, or something else entirely?
0:32.6	And that's why today's SYSK trending topic is understanding DejaVu.
0:38.3	Joining me as cognitive scientist Anne Cleary, who has spent years researching the science behind DejaVu.
0:45.3	She'll explain why your brain creates this illusion of familiarity and what it reveals about how memory actually works. So why does the present sometimes feel like the past?
0:58.0	We'll find out right after this.
1:00.4	Ready to launch your business?
1:02.3	Get started with the commerce platform made for entrepreneurs.
1:05.5	Shopify is specially designed to help you start, run and grow your business
1:09.5	with easy customizable themes that
1:11.6	let you build your brand, marketing tools that get your products out there. Integrated shipping
1:16.1	solutions that actually save you time. From startups to scaleups, online, in person and on the go.
1:22.6	Shopify is made for entrepreneurs like you. Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.
1:33.5	There's a pretty good chance that you have experienced deja vu, that feeling that you've been here before,
1:41.6	or that you've said this before, or that you're experiencing
1:45.2	something now that has already happened in the past. So what is that? Some say it's paranormal,
1:53.6	or it's a clue to your psychic abilities, and others say that's nonsense. Anne Cleary is someone who studies Deja Vu.
2:03.1	She is a professor at Colorado State University,
2:06.3	and she has a great TED talk on this subject that you can see online.
2:10.6	There's a link to it in the show notes.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.