Endless Memory, Part 1

Lesley Stahl reports on the recently discovered phenomenon of "superior autobiographical memory," the ability to recall nearly every day of one's life.

[@xoxoanirenee]

who's here for quarantine psychology classes lmao

[@nerizzaignacio5019]

me!!! hahaha

[@nikolasversteeg]

hit it spot on lmao

[@JacquelineHinshaw]

lol yep

[@thelfordwilliams6767]

same

[@kyrstinezzell6522]

hello hahaha

[@amped4357]

I'm only here because my Psychology professor requires me to be.

[@TheFulfilledHerProject]

same

[@lydia8226]

Saaame!

[@hanag3588]

tooooooo relatable

[@squidbombproductions1106]

Someone needs to start a club

[@markian76]

Same

[@jamviator]

This has always been one of my biggest desires. I hate studying and after I study i forget what I study. if I could remember everything without even trying, I could learn almost anything, stress free, and make alot of money.

[@chainova7580]

and you wll also remember all the pain

[@jamviator]

@Joe Black I saw Anki a couple years ago but never used it. I'm definitely going to use it now. Thanks for the advice!

[@sbramble01]

I wonder if people with this ability can remember all of their dreams. I would kill for their ability.

[@KpopNiDontStop]

I have it and yes we can or shall I say more dreams than others LOL.

[@samaimelescamions8527]

I just discovered this ability, I don't know if I have it but I remember at least one dream per night or even several.

[@davegrohl7666]

I can only imagine how painful it must be, dealing with any kind of trauma she must have faced growing up in that time period, not being able to forget anything. How do you move on? How does she cope with horrendous memories from the past (assuming she has some)

[@seansmith5547]

maybe she writes music, or journals. putting thoughts on paper gets them out of our head. everyone has their own traumas. processing trauma, disarms trauma

[@johnnyjohnson3232]

These people would be amazing detectives 💯💯 Imagine hearing a criminal's name and you remember that you have seen him about 20 years ago 😬😬😬

[@raea3588]

I found out last year that I have an autobiographical memory. I don't know about the superior part because if someone gave me a random date I don't have the ability to go on that but I do remember almost everything that has transpired in my life and in the lives of those close to me since before the age of one. I also remember my friend's schedules and pasts better than they do. When I remember a day in my past I can recall almost everything about that day from what I wore, to what, I ate and the weather. It certainly helped me in school :) I knew other people were not like this but I didn't realize it was something rare. I have heard that people who have this memory usually also have some kind of OCD, which I do. Many people say they are envious of this kind of memory. But although it can come in handy it is exhausting!

[@dannys3949]

I don't think you can remember everything your wore and the weather.

[@raea3588]

Now, since I wrote this comment 6 years ago it's been interesting and sad. I became very sick and I lost a lot of my memory for over 3 years. For the first time I experienced what it was not to have a superior autobiographical memory. I used to wish I didn't have it sometimes because it was exhausting but without it I wasn't me. Thankfully I've gotten better and most of my memory has come back. It's not quite as sharp but there are times where I feel physical pain as a forgotten memory pushes itself back into my mind. It's like my brain lives in a constant state of confliction because it feels like all of the memories are still there but something is blocking them and they're trying to come to the surface as effortlessly as they once did. A lot of people are like "Big deal. You remember more than most people ever will!" but as I said it feels sad because I lost something that I always had, never asked for but my brain is always looking for it.

[@Lo1a._]

⁠@@raea3588 I hope you are doing well. I get the feeling of not being able to recollect a memory and having that almost “empty” emotion. You have an incredible ability tho!

[@lancemilliken9078]

As cool as all of this sounds I'm sure that there are drawbacks as well. I imagine that the brain must feel a bit cluttered from time to time

[@solivagant1170]

In the second part that was discussed and no, all their memories are perfectly organized.

[@icarue993]

well, one of the patients did mention that they releive painful memories as it was yesterday. So... imagine not being able to forget painful sad memories. Changing schools, for example, should not be something that bad on teh long term,

[@markatingi8645]

thanks for uploading. really interesting how people can be able to remember minute details especially down to dates, time, and even the day like the question on Valentine's Day.

[@jeylful]

Oh my God, I am amazed by these fantastic people. What a gift! Although it can also a nightmare if you don't get over the sad parts.

[@emawerna]

Get them on a game show.

[@noizejunkies909]

Surely Solomon Shereshevsky was the 1st person to be identified with this type of ability. It was documented and published in the book 'The Mind of a Mnemonist: A Little Book about a Vast Memory'. I think this book is pretty old, 1960's 70's?

[@sxymiinion8144]

I bet it would be great if all of them hang out in one day. They would remember everything they ever said. That's very cool.

[@JavierPhotoMX]

PIENSO QUE CADA GENERACION, SE DEBERIA DE FORMAR UN GRUPO DE ESTAS PERSONAS Y SE CONVIERTAN EN LOS HISTORIADORES DEL MUNDO, CON ESE TALENTO LAS MEMORIAS DEL MUNDO A TRAVEZ DE LOS SIGLOS SE PODRIAN VIVIR COMO SI FUERAN EVENTOS DE LA SEMANA ANTERIOR, DESCRITOS DE FORMA CASI EXACTA COMO SUCEDIERON.

[@metsfreak4life]

I have this as well I can also calculate days of the week in the distant past and future. here's another personal fact. I discovered youtube on Sunday June 11, 2006. The first video I ever saw: a USA deal or no video entitled "Howie Mandel Confronts the Banker" Howie thinks the bank offer was too low, he runs up and goes 1 on 1 with him the whole audience chants his name, he says when he comes down "Im a little outta breath." The offer is $60,000 the family says "That's an insult" and "NO DEAL"

[@Joeis2awesome]

H

[@solivagant1170]

I know it’s been 9 years and you probably still remember commenting this even though it’s been almost a decade but... Do you remember your dreams?

[@JeanetteForesta]

I see some people have a hard time concentrating since they keep asking why he doesn't wipe off his glasses. 2:46 gives the answer. Listening is the key to learning. See Endless Memory Part 2 for the rest.

[@brickman73]

these people would be amazing pharmacists or doctors...

[@ashjade86]

I'm mindblown and so excited to find out this exists!!

[@armywife012205]

I have something kinda like this. I can't remember where I was on a certain date, or facts and trivia. But I can remember my surrounding from everywhere I've ever been since I was about 6 or 7. If I see something visual I remember. The layout of a room, where things sit in the room. People in pictures on the wall; what they are wearing. Colors of things, what they are. I can't remember when I was there, but I remember it in great detail. I thought everyone thought that way up until a year ago.

[@123ABCabby]

Wow it hurt my heart to hear that they believe autism presents the same in everyone when literally everyone has a different experience with it. I can tie my shoes and I’m autistic. I can mask my traits until I get home and sometimes have a meltdown in the privacy and comfort of my own apartment with my boyfriend. Behaviorism isn’t the only part that is important when addressing autism. There are so many thoughts behind each and every action. Everyone is unique.

[@connorwilliamson3]

There’s a short story by Jorge Luis Borges about this very phenomenon, titled ‘Funes, his memory”. Never knew people actually had this ability in real life. It destroyed Funes, sounds like a curse for these people too.

[@ReLair88]

If you have it to the extent they do, it could be sort of a curse. I have it (don't remember which days of the week always, don't recall what I wore or ate on a given date, but my family noticed my ability years ago. And so did friends. I know other people who have it to some extent, some more than others. They will always mention dates of events, as I do. It can be fun and also come in handy. I just had an instance today where I said "You told me this date a year ago, now you're saying something different." I was able to retrieve an email she sent and prove I was right about the date. That's always satisfying because people come to know they can't argue with you about when, or even what, happened.

[@subhasarkar7465]

One of my friend is having this condition , she is 24 but she didn't know that she is having it

[@deborahwood9304]

I agree with the woman who felt haunted I would NOT want to remember 75% of my life and would love to forget what I DO remember - I have not lived an exemplary life

[@livingsocks]

I have a fantastic memory compared to my family and friends, but I'm nothing compared with these subjects! Could there be a large distribution of memory ability with these people on the far side of the curve, or is it as simple as an on/off switch?

[@esperancaemisterio]

They are NOT the first ones to study it! Luria already studied Shereshevsky in the 1920's.

[@miketsack]

September 9, 1999? Well it was a Thursday also a payday. I was working for the Government at the and we all wouldn't shut up about Y2K. My GF at the time had recently been laid off in June of that year and was job hunting. Hummm the tech guys at work said that our PC's might crash because of the date, "9/9/99".... aside from that I don't recall watching the news much. It was a nice day in Halifax that day... :-) Sorry I'm stumped on that one... I just remember my life.

[@dannys3949]

I bet you can't remember everything. Stop exaggerating and trying to be special.

[@ReLair88]

I would like to know why CBS edited this video. It is not the same video aired on 60 Minutes Dec. 19, 2010. For example, in the section of this video where they are asked one question about the earthquake in San Francisco, there were actually at least five questions given about specific events. I know because I was able to answer the correct date on all the questions--the same as these people did. Back in 2010, they did not refer to it as HSAM. They added the HIghly for some reason. I guess they don't yet understand that this ability is on a continuum, with people like me who recall dates of events--dates that are significant to me. I don't recall what I ate or what I wore. That's not important to me and it would drive me nuts if I did.

[@fringestream990]

I spend most of time trying to move on from the past.

[@lancejohnson8847]

People saying for the guy to clean his glasses: he probably doesn’t have an eye or has a fake eye on that side. I knew this as a 7 year old watching this on the television, would’ve thought more people could understand that.

[@justgivemethetruth]

It would sad, but interesting to see how these people fare as they get older, and if, when or how their memories start to fail, if they get dementia, alzheimer's later, or if they notice their memories changing over time?

[@inlovewithi]

@miketsack Name 2 things that happened in the US and probably Canada on Sep 9, 1999, that had the attention of hundreds of thousands of people under the age of 30. I definitely don't have it, just ever so slightly to be able to sort of relate, and I would just love to be able to remember everything, as painful as it could be. Just try to accept the bad, and the embarrassing let downs, if true.

[@missydeluxe3174]

These people should all be contestants on Jeopardy! They're amazing!

[@jackmaxwell3134]

No, they wouldn't. Because it's the episodic memory which is increased: They can remember what they have done themselves, not facts done by others. To summarize, they can remember reading the dictionary on May, 12 1986, but not what's inside the dictionary.

[@armywife012205]

@aculturemind I can also see places in my mind with a 360 view. I can even "zoom in" to get a closer look. The only way I can describe it is that my eyes are a video camera and my brain is the hard drive.

[@giocanales13]

She said April 21st 1991.

[@charlieangkor8649]

ask them like this: list all thursdays when it was raining you had a sandwich and drove a car longer than 16 minutes.

[@youtubelife921]

Charlie Angkor for me, zero

[@heli0s2003]

What if she read all the instructions to build a nuclear bomb? Would she know how to actually build one, or just remember all the instructions? That distinction means alot. Also, why has she never been on Jeopardy?

[@markatingi8645]

we are our memories

[@OverSeaToo]

What was her first memory of her live? They don't need a diary!

[@MrLewisMovies]

... the only thing that messes with me is that they can only remember dates and what happened to them. i would assume these people would be extremely smart and had memorized everything that they learned in school

[@virtuosoikingpin]

My memory is completely horrible lol, I can only memorize rules, systems, things like that. Random facts just go over my head for the most part.

[@danielchin1259]

It's gotta be an SCP's effect

[@LiterallyLiterallying]

I wonder if any of them were at one point in time cannabis users.

[@godnlenora]

a great epsiode to watch.

[@tylerisntasheep6854]

this was awesome

[@evenah]

Two by two, hands of blue. They'll come for you.

[@shanebelle4008]

I bet they all did well on their exams in school.

[@justgivemethetruth]

context indexing ... sure wish I could do that. I cannot even do this about yesterday. wow.

[@jakehedlund5583]

waddup fellow depressed children

[@ThEndBeats]

this is a bloody superpower...

[@hprince4]

I think they passively archive input/information while organizing them according to dates. I think its like watching a really great movie while a timer is on the bottom left of the screen and at the end of it being able to recall what happened and around what time it happened, effortlessly. And then watching a movie everyday of their lives since the first time it happened. I have a similar ability but it is not in terms of memory.

[@RS54321]

This is insane.

[@OnlineMinecrafter]

Whats up with that dude's glasses ?

[@jacobwaugh1669]

2:47

[@victortruong1524]

Seriously I wouldn't Date or Married to a Woman who can remember every single date and event, I would be dead soon :)) To those men who married women, YOU ARE BRAVE HEROES OF EARTH, ALL OF YOUR SACRIFICES WILL BE REMEMBERED by younger Male Generations. :)))

[@SophieMichalik]

these are just acquired savants arent they..?

[@u32481]

hey cbs, lets get some hd videos on here

[@squatch545]

I can remember every fart I've ever blown and how it smelled.

[@jacksonbaker468]

disgusting, i would love to forget some of them i remember.

[@dchen8874]

I don't wish to remember everything but i wish we could choose what to remember cuz i remember some of the dumbest stuff but not the stuff i really need to remember....

[@inlovewithi]

@gjjdinchina You're from China? Of perhaps just live in China. What happened between 2 famous Chinese people on November 9, 2007?

[@armywife012205]

@aculturemind Whatever it is...it comes in handy. I freaked a girl out once by describing what was sitting where in her living room; and I only only been in her house for ten minutes. And it had been a while since I had been there. She was trying to figure out what color to paint her walls, and I starting telling her paint colors that would match her belongings. :P

[@charlieangkor8649]

i barely know what day is today

[@miketsack]

I have this... it really SUCKS!!! I can remember all my 40 years on this stupid planet!

[@dannys3949]

I bet you can't remember everything. Stop exaggerating and trying to be special.

[@lucaspeterson8839]

This videos views are about to spike.

[@chess747]

I can remember all of my childhood the weather ect of that day but I'm hopeless at remembering for exams....I think we all have theses abilities but how to access the brain to make it work .

[@dannys3949]

I bet you can't remember everything. Stop exaggerating and trying to be special.

[@quiettornado1970]

I bet one of that actor's sons will inherit her mom's talent and carry it down the to the next generation.

[@-Datboijj-]

doubt it

[@JThePlante]

I've got one of these memories!!

[@dannys3949]

Exaggerating a bit.

[@xm444]

April 1st 1991 was Monday

[@richardbenitez1282]

Sounds like a curse. I’d hate to remember every second of my growing up.

[@jerrygundecker743]

What would an mri of these folks look like-ha you just answered it!!!

[@Zisaar]

04:47 same headset like mine!! i believe, sennheiser hd 202

[@enriquegilmour]

Could you imagine being married to a woman with this ability?

[@barisgonultas8834]

Buraya Learning ödevi için gelenler beğensin de sayımızı bilelim.

[@armywife012205]

@aculturemind Now that I know that its unusual. I've wondered on occasion what makes me remember that way. Why something in my brain is different than most others. It amazes me that I can retain all that data and not feel like my "brain is full." And I just keep adding to the "file" everyday.

[@moonliighttbaee]

10:59 im dying at this

[@seanclancy2587]

New generation of professional witnesses?

[@demoniak95]

i dont even remember what i ate yesterday -.-

[@Aiser56]

Why does the woman on here always seem so naive? : (

[@AvocadoToast-]

Hi, Avila Social Psych. :)

[@nc8186]

pls wipe your glasses

I think he have some problen with the eye cuz in every part is like this and i dont tink the people around dont tell him

[@angelaanaconda5837]

She's a liar just needs attention

[@frankwhite1895]

I dont believe this at all

[@silverfullbuster9177]

Well its true how else would you want to prove it?

[@duffharris9295]

Seems like a kind of extreme narcissism almost...

[@jordanwesthead7417]

it must be true because the man with one eye said so hahaha.

[@rEdBuLlll]

who's here for quarantine psychology classes lmao

[@domp5014]

Indeed lol