People who are “super memorisers” are being sought by scientists to take part in new research into people with exceptional memories.
University of Cambridge academics are trying to uncover why some people are much better at remembering things than others.
People who believe they have an exceptional memory are being urged to take an online survey and test.
Based on their performance, some will be invited to Cambridge to have a brain scan so researchers can examine the images in detail to assess whether there are any differences in structure or function.
“Memory is one of the best understood psychological processes in terms of brain networks and yet we still don’t really know why some people have exceptional memories,” said Prof Jon Simons from the department of psychology at the University of Cambridge.
“That’s why we’re inviting people to take part in our study.”
The researchers are also aiming to discover whether people who are autistic or neurodiverse are more likely to have exceptional memory.
Brain candy: Five best foods to eat for memory, concentration and overall brain health — in pictures
The team has previously worked with writer Daniel Tammet, who is autistic, has synaesthesia and can recall the number pi to 22,514 digits.
“You don’t need to have won any competitions to take part or to consider yourself neurodiverse — and you certainly don’t need to be able to recite pi to 22,000 digits,” said Prof Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University and lead investigator of the study.
“We’re looking for anyone who thinks they might be a ‘super memoriser’ to try out our memory tests.”
Dr Carrie Allison, also from the Autism Research Centre, said: “We hope that people will enjoy taking part in this study and in the process contribute to helping us understand more about memory and whether exceptional memory is related to autism.
“For decades, autism research has focused on disability, but this study is a wonderful opportunity to focus on strengths.”
People aged 16 to 60 are being invited to take part in the online memory tests. Tasks include memorising a phone number or patterns on a chess board.
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
On racial profiling at airports
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
