ABC News:
Imagine being able to recall just about anything, your mind functioning as a nearly endless encyclopedic scrapbook of names, pictures, dates and events.
Wisconsin resident Brad Williams’ total recall makes him a personified version of Google. His extensive memory allows him to recall almost any news event and anything he has experienced, including specific dates and even the weather. Williams’ type of detailed, exhaustive memory is called hyperthymesia and few known cases exist. Brad’s brain scans are now being studied by neuroscientists at the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory at the University of California, Irvine. Initially, the drive-time radio broadcaster didn’t think his ability to recall so much was anything special. Gradually over the years other people noticed how much he was able to remember in detail about the same events, Williams said.
Eric Williams’ is intrigued about the inner workings of his brother’s mind. Eric Williams is in the process of making a documentary about Brad, appropriately titled “Unforgettable.” In the film, which hasn’t been completed yet, Williams takes on a person who is Googling answers to 20 questions. He answered 18 of them correctly and was 11 minutes faster than the searcher.
While this “gift” may come in handy, there are things in my life I would prefer to forget. An ex-wife comes immediately to mind.
Nice mashup here. I would truly love to have such a memory. My exwife did. She could tell you what we had for breakfast 5 years ago–she reads books a page at a time with near perfect comprehension–learned ancient Danish dialect in 3 months==that sort of thing. But still a bitch.
Now–about being able to forget about ex-spouses==what was the name of that movie with that movie star that had his memory erased? I can’t remember.
I have heard of this before. All other cases I have heard of were tragic. Eventually their minds became so full of useless clutter that they became more like “Rain Man” than Superman.
I’m curious to see if he follows the pattern.
I feel really sorry for this guy. Forgetting is a gift.
I wonder if that’s the same as a photographic memory?
He must have the brain of a woman! Them all bitching that you have to let go of some things and the moment you trip they start yapping about things THEY should have let go.
Bobbo – My wife is the same but her memory is selective…
“You never told me that”
And…
“I remember you said you were going to do that”
Cheers
And what about wives’s selective Psychic Powers, “You should have known that I meant that!”
It’s not fair. And here I am, having to memorize things ad nauseum.
My very eager mother just served us nine.
It’s supposed to be easy to remember, but it just doesn’t make sense.
# 7 Ah_Yea – LOL! Oh Yeah, can’t forget that one!!
Cheers
Years ago my ex and I were in marraige conciling. She could remember transgressions from before we were marriad. we were marriad 28years. I on the other hand can’t remember what I did yesterday.
He should do a guest appearance on Monk.
#11, yes, he should! And his recurring line of dialogue could be, “It’s a gift… and a curse.”