Genetic Memory: Difference between revisions

* In the novel ''[[Planet of the Apes]]'', the ape scientists in the Encephalic Section access the memory of several humans in an experiment on one woman.

* In the original ''[[Earths Children|Clan of The Cave Bear]]'', the Neanderthals were portrayed as having racial memories, which was supposed to both make up for their lack of verbal skills and imagination and keep them socially and "technologically" stagnant.

* In [[Arthur C. Clarke (Creator)]]'s seminal ''[[Childhoods End]]'', the alien Overlords, when they reveal themselves, are the very model of {{spoiler|devils: leather wings, red skin, horns, tail.}} Everybody figures that they are in fact the source of {{spoiler|devil myths}}, through some encounter back in mankind's history remembered through racial memory.

** Turns out to be a case of Genetic Foreshadowing. The Overlords play a role in mankind's {{spoiler|ultimate extinction, an event so traumatic for the humans of the future}} that it somehow echoes back into the past.

* Weird example from ''[[Animorphs (Literature)|Animorphs]]'': In a near-death experience, Tobias starts having vivid flashbacks to the life of his father, {{spoiler|Elfangor}}. He later mentions it to Ax, who says that Andalites used to believe in genetic memory but that it was long dismissed as superstition. What makes it weird is that it clearly has some genetic and some non-genetic component, as Tobias is not from a genetics perspective {{spoiler|Elfangor's}} son and experienced memories that happened after he was born, but at the same time he was only able to access them while in the body of {{spoiler|Elfangor's brother Ax}}, who ''is'' genetically his {{spoiler|brother}}.

* In "Mask of Circe", one of the Henry Kuttner's novels, the hero (who lived in XX century) had achieved the memories of his ancient ancestor - Jason (the mythologic character) through some kind of science experiment - and, although it's hilarious, it was used skilfully, and the novel is just great.

* ''[[The Wheel of Time]]'' has what is known as "the old blood", a phenomenon which results in people having their ancestors' memories and spontaneously shouting battle cries of ancient nations in a dead language. Mat Cauthon is has it particularly strongly. Some characters also obtain memories from their past lives or those of other people in ways unrelated to genetics.

* Though it's never explicitly stated, the Vord from the ''[[Codex Alera]]'' appear to have this. At the very least, the [[Big Bad|Vord Queen]] knows exactly what she is, what her purpose is, and how to use all her abilities despite never having met a single other member of her species since hatching that wasn't one of her own offspring. Later on, she occasionally references events from the ancient history of the Vord as though she were there, even though that would be impossible considering her youth.

* In the ''[[Star Trek Voyager]]'' episode "Favorite Son", Harry Kim suddenly starts knowing things he shouldn't, such as that an alien ship is about to attack Voyager. It turns out he has the DNA of the alien Taresians, and his new knowledge comes from that DNA.

** {{spoiler|Except that it turned out that it was an elaborate trap by the Taresians to lure Harry (and any other male they could get their hands on) in, to steal their life force. Without their tampering, Harry had about as much genetic similarity to the Taresians as we do to lizards.}}

** K-9 and the Doctor do explain that these clones are really more like a biological photocopy than proper clones, hence their shortened lifespans

** The Wirrrn from ''The Ark in Space'' have racial memories.

** By the late 20th century, humanity has genetic memories of Kronos, the being (or one of them) that destroyed Atlantis thousands of years ago. One of the scientists working on the Master's TOMTIT in ''The Time Monster'' recognised Kronos without ever seeing it before.

* The "ghosts" in ''[[Bio Shock]]'' are explained as memories being passed around through ADAM. It started happening after the Little Sisters were deployed to collect loose ADAM from the dead.

* In ''[[Xenogears (Video Game)|Xenogears]]'', Fei and Elly are both the latest in the [[Single Line of Descent]] for each of their incarnations, and are explicitly said to have the unique ability to "encode memories in their introns". Furthermore, the potential to suddenly become the new Miang, memories and all, is inherent in every woman on the planet. Don't try and figure that one out.

** "Ancestral soil" here means compost made from the shed leaves of other martians, as well as dead bodies; some martians had as a profession to collect these for mulching. When the martians said they absorbed knowledge, they were speaking ''literally''.

* Hieda no Akyu from [[Touhou]] literally has this for her special ability, which she then uses to record the history of Gensokyo. She is the [[Lamarck Was Right|ninth child]] of a line that goes back for roughly 1200 years, so the only person that recognizes her in any way is the character that created Gensokyo, Yukari Yakumo.

[[Category:Memory Tropes]]

[[Category:Genetic Memory]]