London taxi drivers develop a different part of the brain

AFP News Agency

12 Apr 201302:23

Summary

TLDRLondon's iconic black cabs are driven by individuals with extraordinary spatial memory, honed through rigorous training. Without GPS, drivers navigate the city's complex streets, a skill that has intrigued scientists studying their hippocampus. The 'knowledge', a test requiring memorization of 25,000 streets, takes an average of three years to master, with a 30% dropout rate. This intense training results in a highly developed spatial memory, yet the challenge remains for these memory experts to learn new routes post-training.

Takeaways

🚌 London's black cabs are renowned for their iconic red color and are a staple of the city's transportation, with around 20,000 in circulation.
🧠 The drivers of these cabs are known for their exceptional spatial memory and navigational skills, often without the use of GPS.
🧭 The hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with spatial memory, is found to be particularly developed in London cab drivers due to their extensive knowledge of the city's layout.
🏫 Training to become a London taxi driver is rigorous, involving memorization of 25,000 street names and locations, and can take up to three years to complete.
📚 The training process includes learning the names and locations of important roads, which are color-coded for easier memorization.
🎓 Only a small percentage of trainees, approximately 30 percent, successfully complete the training and obtain their license.
🤔 The training and the 'knowledge' test require the use of memory techniques to efficiently learn and recall the vast amount of information.
🧐 The script suggests that once the training is over, it may become more challenging for these drivers to learn new routes, indicating a potential saturation of their spatial memory.
🏙️ The knowledge of London's streets is not just a job requirement but also a testament to the cognitive abilities of the drivers, highlighting the brain's adaptability to complex tasks.
🔍 Scientific research has been conducted to study the brains of London cab drivers, revealing insights into the relationship between spatial memory and the hippocampus.

Q & A

What distinguishes London's black cab drivers from other drivers?
-London's black cab drivers are distinguished by their extensive knowledge of the city's complex street patterns and their ability to navigate without the aid of GPS.
How does the hippocampus in the brain relate to the profession of a black cab driver?
-Research shows that working as a black cab driver develops the hippocampus, a part of the brain linked to spatial memory and learning through the description of place cells.
What is the 'knowledge' that London taxi drivers must acquire before gaining their license?
-The 'knowledge' refers to the grueling training London's taxi drivers undergo to memorize the names and locations of 25,000 streets where London's population live and work.
What is the average duration for aspiring cabbies to complete their training?
-Aspiring cabbies take an average of three years to complete their training.
What is the dropout rate among those who undertake the training to become a black cab driver?
-Almost 30 percent of aspiring cabbies drop out during their training.
How do the trainee cab drivers use memory techniques to learn the 'knowledge'?
-Trainee cabbies use memory techniques to learn the 'knowledge' by memorizing the names and locations of streets, and they often study intensively to retain this information.
What is the significance of the colored roads in the training of black cab drivers?
-The important roads in London are colored yellow and orange, which helps the trainee cab drivers to learn and memorize them as part of their training.
How does the training of black cab drivers affect their spatial memory?
-The training results in an unusually developed spatial memory, as scientific studies suggest that the hippocampus, responsible for spatial memory, is enhanced through this process.
What challenges do black cab drivers face after their training is over?
-After their training, black cab drivers face the challenge of learning new routes, which becomes harder due to the extensive 'knowledge' they have already acquired.
What is the atmosphere like at the schools where London taxi drivers are trained?
-The atmosphere at the schools where London taxi drivers are trained resembles a university library, with students undergoing six hours of intense training per day.
How does the script describe the process of navigating as a black cab driver?
-The script describes the process as instinctive and stress-free, with drivers having a conditioned brain that thinks about the quickest routes to get passengers to their destinations.

Outlines

00:00

🚖 The Expertise of London's Black Cab Drivers

London's black cab drivers are renowned for their exceptional knowledge of the city's complex street layout, which they navigate without GPS. These drivers possess a highly developed hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with spatial memory. Their ability to quickly and efficiently transport passengers is a result of rigorous training, which includes memorizing the names and locations of 25,000 streets. This training, known as 'the knowledge,' is so demanding that it takes an average of three years to complete, with nearly 30 percent of aspirants dropping out. The training also impacts their ability to learn new routes post-license, as their spatial memory becomes highly specialized for the task.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡London's Red Buses

London's Red Buses are iconic public transportation vehicles in the city, known for their distinctive red color and double-decker design. They are a symbol of London's public transport system and are often associated with the city's cultural identity. In the script, they are mentioned as being in circulation, indicating their widespread use and importance in the city's transportation network.

💡GPS

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, a satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information. In the context of the video, it is mentioned that London cab drivers do not rely on GPS, highlighting their exceptional navigational skills and knowledge of the city's streets.

💡Hippocampus

The hippocampus is a region in the brain that plays a major role in memory and spatial navigation. The script discusses how the hippocampus of London cab drivers is particularly developed due to their extensive training and use of spatial memory. This is a key point in the video, illustrating the impact of their profession on their brain's structure.

💡Spatial Memory

Spatial memory refers to the ability to remember and navigate through environments. The video emphasizes the importance of spatial memory for London cab drivers, as they must remember complex street patterns and locations without the aid of modern navigation tools. The development of their hippocampus is linked to their enhanced spatial memory.

💡Place Cells

Place cells are a type of neuron found in the hippocampus that becomes active when an organism is in a specific location. The script mentions that research has shown the hippocampus is linked to spatial memory through the description of place cells, suggesting that these cells play a crucial role in the navigational abilities of London cab drivers.

💡The Knowledge

The Knowledge is a term used to describe the extensive training and examination process that London taxi drivers must undergo to gain their license. It involves memorizing the names and locations of 25,000 streets in London. The script highlights the grueling nature of this training, which is essential for the drivers to develop their remarkable spatial memory and navigational skills.

💡Cabbies

Cabbies is a colloquial term for taxi drivers, particularly those driving black cabs in London. The script uses this term to refer to the individuals who have undergone the rigorous training to become licensed taxi drivers in the city. It humanizes the subject matter and provides a personal touch to the discussion of their exceptional skills.

💡Spatial Orientation

Spatial orientation is the ability to understand one's position and movement in relation to the environment. The video script describes how London cab drivers have an impressive ability to orientate themselves within the city, which is a critical aspect of their profession and a testament to the effectiveness of their training.

💡Memory Techniques

Memory techniques are strategies used to improve the ability to remember information. The script mentions that aspiring cab drivers use memory techniques to learn 'The Knowledge,' suggesting that these techniques are an integral part of their training process and contribute to their exceptional memory capabilities.

💡License Tests

License tests are examinations that individuals must pass to obtain a license, in this case, to become a London taxi driver. The script describes the process of taking these tests at specialized schools, emphasizing the rigorous and intensive nature of the training required to pass these tests and become a licensed cab driver.

💡Masters of Memory

The term 'masters of memory' is used in the script to describe the London cab drivers who have successfully completed their training and possess an unusually developed spatial memory. It highlights their expertise and the exceptional cognitive abilities they have cultivated through their profession.

Highlights

London's black cabs are renowned for their spacious and comfortable interiors.

Black cab drivers navigate London's complex streets without GPS, showcasing their exceptional knowledge.

The hippocampus in the brain, linked to spatial memory, is found to be developed in black cab drivers.

Research indicates that the hippocampus is enhanced through the learning and memorization of place cells.

London taxi drivers undergo a rigorous training process known as 'the knowledge'.

Trainees spend six hours daily memorizing the names and locations of 25,000 streets.

The training atmosphere at schools is likened to a university library, with intense focus on learning.

Aspiring cabbies take an average of three years to complete their training, with a 30% dropout rate.

Memory techniques are used by trainees to aid in learning the complex layout of London.

Successful cab drivers are proud of their unusually developed spatial memory.

Scientific studies suggest that after training, it becomes harder for these drivers to learn new routes.

The importance of the color-coded system for roads in the training process is highlighted.

The transcript describes the mental conditioning of drivers to efficiently navigate London.

The transcript emphasizes the stress-free nature of navigation for experienced black cab drivers.

The transcript outlines the significant role of spatial memory in the daily work of black cab drivers.

The transcript details the grueling process of becoming a licensed London taxi driver.

The transcript reveals the impact of the training on the brain's hippocampus region.

The transcript discusses the practical applications of the enhanced hippocampus in daily driving.