The memory system that stores information for extended periods, from minutes to a lifetime, with seemingly unlimited capacity. It includes both explicit memories (conscious recollection) and implicit memories (unconscious influences on behavior).
The term emerged in the 1960s as researchers distinguished between temporary and permanent memory storage, with 'long-term' simply indicating duration. The concept evolved from early computer metaphors of memory as storage systems with different temporal characteristics.
Long-term memory is like a vast library with no size limit, but with a quirky filing system - memories aren't stored like books on shelves but as networks of connections that can be accessed through multiple pathways! This is why a random smell can suddenly unlock a detailed childhood memory you thought was lost forever.
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