Identification

• Memories and information are stored in the brain via a network of cells called neurons. The human brain has about a billion neurons; each one forms 1,000 connections to other neurons for a total of more than 1 trillion connections. The storage capacity of the brain is so large because information is most likely stored in the connections between the cells, notes the Museum of American History.
  
  

Types

• Posit Science notes on its website that long-term memory is the system by which your brain stores information, manages it and retrieves it when needed. Long-term memory is divided into different types. When you recall a life experience, you are using the autobiographical memory system. Implicit memory is what permits you to perform activities like walking without having to think about them. Explicit memories are conscious thoughts.
  
  

Considerations

• Scientific American notes that the exact storage capacity of the brain is difficult to determine because the sizes of individual memories or pieces of information cannot be measured. In addition, different memories take up varying amounts of space, and some are forgotten over time, freeing up space for new memories.