Drosophila melanogaster. The biological name of a common fruit fly is used for biological research due to its rapid life cycle. I learned that in high school biology over forty years ago. I don’t have it tattooed on my arm; I simply remember it. I’ve occasionally described the random facts in my head to a landfill. Save for perhaps a trivia game, knowing the scientific name of the common fruit fly will never be useful. I should just jettison it like jetsam.
I retained a disproportionate amount of civics, which is the study of government. I remembered details about the branches of government and how they all functioned. Strangely, I don’t remember if that class was in middle school or high school, nor do I even remember the teacher who taught the lessons; I just remembered the facts. Though much of this also came through osmosis on Saturday morning cartoons and Schoolhouse Rock. Where I learned about how bills are passed, and even the preamble to the US Constitution. I can still hear the tune in my head.