April 30th 2021 would’ve been Captain Tom Moore’s 101st birthday; in recognition and in remembrance of his achievement, a new challenge was announced by his family. They challenged ordinary folk to complete a hundred somethings to raise more funds for The Captain Tom Foundation – ‘whether you bake 100 cupcakes or walk 100 laps – help celebrate Captain Tom’s achievements.’ The official ‘Captain Tom 100’ has now finished, but I’ve challenged myself to write a 100 word blog each day for 100 days. I started on May 1st and when I complete my task, I’ll donate £100 to his Foundation.
Day 25
Is there such a thing as genetic memory, something passed from ancestors along with their DNA? My father, a scientist, believed it; I wish I’d asked him why he thought so and what he ‘remembered’ which he couldn’t have known?
Arriving in Tasmania for the first time, stepping off the plane, I took a breath of Tasmanian air and it was like coming home. Greeted by a familiar welcoming smell, I felt I’d come home, to a dear place on the other side of the world. Had my great-grandfather Louis, born here nearly two centuries ago, left this olfactory memory?
Lois Elsden 
Hi Lois
I enjoyed your latest “Tom” challenge about genetic memory. I have read quite a bit about this recently and now it is accepted generally. The idea is that DNA passes on info about you to your descendants but the things you have learned during your life can also be passed on through experiences to your children and G etc. This is called the Epigenetic memory and the science is now mature enough to have a name – Epigenetics. As you will know from your word knowledge, Epi comes from the Greek meaning above so epigenetic is on top of or above genetics. I find this a very interesting field of science!
I saw your last e mail post – this is I think, saying what you “add to your story”. This is what I wondered off we could use this to announce changes and additions to the blog. I hope this makes some sort of sense?
Best wishes
Richard
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Smells can invoke memories but I think that they have to have been experience by you yourself not an ancestor. But the subject has got me interested in Aroma therapy.
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It was so strange when I went to Tas and stepped off the plane, the smell was so familiar, and came with a lovely happy feeling, and yet I’d never smelled anything like it. I think it’s a particular plant which grows everywhere over there.
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