Our best memories are formed before age 25

Life doesn't start until you're 30, right?

Well, maybe not. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but according to new research our most important memories are made by the time we are 25.

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire came to this conclusion by exploring a recognized psychological phenomenon called the "reminiscence bump." The "reminiscence bump" is when elderly people consistently recall the most important memories of their lives as occurring between ages 15-30.

"Many studies have consistently found that when adults are asked to think about their lives and report memories, remembered events occurring between the ages of 15 to 30 are over-represented," explains lead researcher Kristina Steiner. "I wanted to know why this might be. Why don't adults report more memories from the ages of 30 to 70? What is it about the ages of 15 to 30 that make them so much more memorable?"

Also see: Dying man spends last six months making wife's dreams come true

The study, published in the journal Memory, examined 34 people between 59 and 92 years old and asked them to tell their life stories in 30 minutes. All the participants were Caucasian and 76 per cent had obtained a university degree.

The researchers found that participants showed a marked "reminiscent bump" between the ages of 17 and 24. They also defined their most important moments as a physical move, attending college or university, a first job, marriage, military experience and having children.

Also see: Study finds surprising link between cat bites and depression

Steiner notes that the results could be very different for younger generations who tend to experience these important life moments at a later age.

"For my particular generation, it would be interesting to interview us once we get old," she tells CBC. "Perhaps our reminiscence might be a little bit later in the life span because we tend to hit those kind of culturally sanctioned events later."