Here’s a fascinating story from 60 Minutes about something called “superior autobiographical memory,” which basically means being able to remember every day and every moment in your life down to insignificant details. Actress Marilu Henner, 58, best known for her role on Taxi, has this ability. She’s one of only six people that have been identified with it. 60 Minutes anchor Leslie Stahl is good friends with Henner and initially told her producer that she wasn’t interested in this story, because she knew Henner and didn’t think this was as rare as it is.
This ability has only recently been discovered. The handful of people with superior autobiographical memory have proven to scientists that their memories are infallibly accurate by quickly recounting known details from random dates provided to them, including weather conditions and public events. They usually describe their extraordinary ability by simply saying that they “see” the day in question as if it were yesterday.
The people with this talent shown on 60 Minutes seem superficially “normal.” They deny that they’re autistic or savants and researchers say they seem to function normally. They all have OCD-like behaviors, such as organizing and hand washing, but don’t seem to be crippled by them. This may reveal how they’re not overwhelmed by all those vivid memories, because as Henner explained she’s organized them so well she can recall any day at a moments notice.
If you’d like to watch this story, it’s available in two parts online and below. Marilu Henner comes in at around 6:00 in the first video. It cracks me up so much how she can tell you everything that she’s done ever. Fast forward to 9:50 in the first video to see five people with this ability all recall random events and dates at the same time.
MRI results show that people with this ability have parts of their brain that are “significantly larger” than control subjects. The temporal lobe, where memories are stored, and another part of the brain the caudate nucleus, are much larger in this group than in average people. This is somewhat consistent with MRI findings in people with obsessive compulsive disorder, although the results with this group are much more significant.
I had a girlfriend in high school who could recount entire conversations she’d had word for word. It didn’t seem like she was making up dialog at all, and she could tell you the exact words. It was interesting (i.e. gossip worthy) only about 10% of the time and soon became boring. You don’t want to hear about something in real time, you only want to know the important details. This ability to remember every day of your life is fascinating, though. It seems like such a mixed blessing. One person with
superior autobiographical memory declined to be interviewed by 60 Minutes as she finds that it interferes too much with her life.
On a superficial level, I want Marilu Henner to come organize my closet. She’s incredible.
You can read more about this phenomenal ability on CBS.com.
Marilu Henner on “Time Traveling.” This is a one minute video demonstrating her ability:
60 Minutes episode on superior autobiographical memory Part 1
60 Minutes episode on superior autobiographical memory Part 2
This reminds me so much of my dad, He’s 72 and can recall stuff that happened in such detail when he was in school, at a job, family reunions, , vacations, the weather etc. I always thought it was weird, I can barely remember what I ate yesterday.
I watched this story on 60 minutes and found it fascinating. I was surprised to see Marilu had the ability. I think it stems from a natural compulsive tendancy which leads to organizing the many thoughts in ones head. I use to do it as a child to help me fall asleep. The organization in the brain is like filing cabinets and thus easy to recall for some people.
this is my first time to see marilu again since celebrity apprentice.
This was remarkable to watch. Thank you for sharing it! I love when science comes together like this.
Wasn’t she an item with Travolta years ago when she was doing ‘Taxi?’
I have a friend like that it’s really funny she will tell stories about times we went to a restaurant 10 years ago and remember where everyone was sitting and the exact date and day.
Carrot Top?
Wow. Extraordinary people. Definitely a gift that can be a curse and a blessing. I have a knack for remembering people I meet and conversations we had. Sometimes after not seeing someone for years and we get together again, I can remember all the little details about them, what was going on in their life, our conversations, interactions, etc. I can recall it visually in my head. It might just be a acquaintance – someone I didn’t even care for or didn’t even like. I don’t even think I’m paying attention sometimes. It sucks because it’s so one-sided at times. I used to think it was normal but as I get older, it’s like some people have amnesia while I know too much. It can be very painful when emotions get hurt because it just stays there. I can fade most memories into the background but things can trigger a memory and I can remember all the little painful details and emotions I was feeling at that time years later that time was supposed to erase and heal.
On a brighter note, I’m great at giving people gifts because I can remember all these random details about them and I love the challenge of finding the perfect gift.
I definitely can’t do dates and events. I think it’s exciting the possibilities their ability might mean for science.
Think about if you were her kid…
this is super interesting! and i love the story about the girl who could recall conversations verbatim. not so great for fast gossip, but you could stick her in a courtroom as a court reporter, or bring her along on interviews for a magazine or something and dispense with the recorder!
@lin234: I’m like that too! Sometimes it gets embarrassing in a social situation because I’ve only met the person once but can remember their dog’s name and where they went on vacation the year before so I seem a little stalkerish.
That’s so interesting! Thanks for posting something a bit different 🙂
really fascinating. gives knew meaning to the phrase…memory like an elephant.
Every time I see Marilu, I think about how she was banging Danny DeVito when they were on Taxi, or she tried to. Then my brain shuts off. This is why I couldn’t watch the interview.
I saw the show, and all I can say is WOW
WOW, a lot of you guys seem like you have some degree of superior autobiographical memory! God, that’s too cool! May be it’s more common than scientist realize. Do you have the same “organization” methods and OCDish traits? I find this stuff fascinating!
With me it’s numbers. I can recall every phone # I have ever had. Addresses too. I have never had to write a phone number down. I also do incredibly well with SS card numbers, social insurance, birth certificate, licenses, library cards, medical card #, bank accounts, etc. I even remember the code numbers for the alarms at bars I worked at. Handy ability but not really spectacular. I need a Marilu in my life to help me remember events. That would be fascinating.
@Roma- I know what you mean! When I was growing up, it used to baffle me when people forgot little details we talked about. It sometimes still does to this day.
For instance, there was this old guy who once had lunch in the office break room twice with take-out while I had lunch there a good majority of the time and I can remember joking with him about something random. Fast forward a couple weeks later, I overheard him asking someone at the Christmas party if I worked there. Ummmm, as one out of two Asian employees working in a medium sized office and actually the only Asian female at that, am I really that hard to remember? Actually, sometimes having the ability to remember everything about other people can take hits on my self-esteem because I can easily chalk it up to “oh, I’m not important enough to be remembered”.
But yea, sometimes people get that really surprised look on their face when I remember something when they can’t even remember we met before and talked. That actually baffles me more than people who can remember details like us.
Like Marilu says, ” Trust me, you’re not special.”
@Couldn’tHelpIt: I don’t have any organizational skills. Like I mentioned before, most times, I could be less invested in some random conversation but later on, I’ll just be able to recall every detail that the other person said to me. It is usually more noticeable when I see the same person I met once or a few times before and a lot of time has passed but I will ask them specific questions and remember certain details about them. They are always surprised and sometimes like Roma says it feels stalkerish. In terms of OCD, I wash my hands a lot too. I think I have a mild variation of what these people possess.
I saw this and couldn’t decide if I was envious or felt kind bad for them. I too am told all the time that I have a photographic memory, remembering certain conversations and events and other things to every detail, but it is NOTHING like these people. Not even remotely close. I think I’d be overwhelmed if I remembered every bad thing that happened to me all the time, frankly.
I don’t think 60 Minutes addressed a question I had, which was: Do these people also remember non-autobiographical stuff, such as subjects they studied? If they sat down and read a biology book, would they remember everything they read?
i have a similar thing in remembering things people said, the little details of their lives. i use it to understand and to create patterns of behavior. its not an internal thing ie. remembering exact days etc- but external. it does seem stalkerish when i ask about something that was a big deal the last time i spoke with someone but which they have forgotten about, esp when they start asking me about it and i can prompt them with names, exact phrasing they used etc.
i wonder if this is why i am drawn to gossip. it helps me file away info- which i seem to crave more than most- and create patterns in behavior.
now i feel weird lol
i have ocd tendencies as well. but they are more cognitive than behavioral
Gash I admire you people with good memories for anything. My memory is like an empty toilet paper role…not much good for anything.
@lin234: It’s nice to have someone who feels awkward as well! I found it the hardest when I was single because I really had to watch myself around new guys. I once ran into a guy friend from university that I went on a couple of dates and 9 years later I freaked him out by recalling what he wrote for our final PoliSci exam. I could see by the look in his eyes that he was thinking “stalker!”
I am not remotely OCD. I seem to just have an aptitude for words as my recall is excellent for both oral and print conversations, though oral is more pronounced.
Maybe Moxy is on to something and that’s why we like gossip? I usually can remember a vague rumour that I had read about years before.
had i had this gift, high school would have been better.
I remember i was tasked to memorize the glossary of 5 books for a competition and i was like cryin because some words are really difficult to remember..
so anyway, theres a little rain man in anyone of us if we practice it
Really cool! Both the TV segments and the reader comments!
Thanks for posting – the reader feedback was fascinating.
Moxie–I think you might be onto something about how gossip would appeal to those who are interested in human behavior and have this type of memory recall. For me, it’s like a building a map of human behavior and start filling in the spots.
I thought I was weird when I would remember random things about people but yet these same people would be barely remember me. I had to stop being so verbal and at times, I stopped acknowledging that we had even spoke. I used to think it was me, that I wasn’t memorable enough to remember.
Omg!!! Can’t even imagine this!
I have terrible memory! I graduated from college 6 years ago and if you weren’t my close friend I don’t know who you are! I live in NYC, so I run into alumni from time to time. Sometimes I just say the name of our school and they get it. Really, my memory sucks.
I can barely remember what I wore 2 days ago, let alone what happened to me everyday!
What I lack in memory skills, I more than make up to in creativity and imagination. I’ve always been into the arts (visual, music, writing) and have been writing quite bit of fiction as of late.
when people act startled, i would just say i really listen when you talk. it actually turned into a lot of people turning to me for advice or just to tell me stuff because they know that i listen. its hard though because i remember what they have told me so when they try to re-write history to suit them or to rationalize their choices i obviously remember the real story. i understand working through issues but i dont get denying that it ever happened. so that confused me for a while, but now i have learned how to cope with it.
i did notice that other people dont remember the same things that i do but i just thought it was because i am interested in human behavior.
i do think this is a huge part of the appeal of gossip for me. it is relaxing and its stuff about people that i dont know and am not invested in. it kindof takes the pressure off but also lets me see the patterns and the intricacies of human behavior.
or maybe i am just a gossip hound lol
Glad to know I’m not the only one to remember trivial details. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found it’s easier to pretend I’ve never met someone or don’t remember what I know about them. I sometimes give myself away by wishing people Happy Birthday, though. I’ve been diagnosed OCD, but I think the shrink was OCD & confused my hair twirling for hair pulling-out. I use celeb gossip to replace IRL gossip. It’s alot less weird to tell my BF years old gossip about people on TV than it is to talk about seemingly random people in the store that I don’t even know well enough to say hi to.
I sounds very cool, but I don’t know if I’d want to be able to remember everything I’ve ever done. Some things you just want to forget. It’s bad enough I’m like your friend CB. I can repeat a conversation from 5 years ago back to you verbatim (which is good in an argument), but I can’t tell you what I had for breakfast this morning.
I can still remember what my husband was wearing and where he was standing the first time I ever saw him. That was ten years ago.
Flash forward to six years ago (I was 16) I can still remember what he wore and how I felt as he walked through the door and we were introduced for the first time.
But I think that says more about my stalking capablities than anything. 😀
I actually have a horrible time recalling faces and names. My husband knows just about everyone in our small town. He will strike up a conversation with someone and I will ask, “Who is that?!?!” He’ll inform me that I’ve met them before. Oops.
My cousin has a lot of health and mental problems. I don’t know how to describe it, but I’ve always suspected he was autistic. However he’s never been diagnosed by an actual doctor. Anyway, he can remember birthdays like crazy. So can I, but his memory for birthdays stretches way farther than mine. He watches a lot of t.v. and can tell you a celebrity’s birthday.
Now study guides in high school? I could memorize, make a hundred or at least an A on a test, and forget it all after!
Well I don’t envy her. I am still sane (sort of) mostly because I DON’T remember everything that I did or that happened in my life in too much detail ;-). Really, who would WANT that?
weird. i am super bad with names and faces. authors, no way. which is crazy because i am a writer and a review blogger. but tell me that it was so and so with the pug dog and my brain switches tracks and their file opens. HA. so weird!
This makes so much sense. I own several of her books on healthy living, and in every picture – whether it’s a picture from 40 years ago or one from last year, she has her weight listed and the whole time I was reading her book I was wondering how anyone could possibly remember their exact weight at every point in their life.
I wonder what it was like for all of her husbands to be married to her. I would imagine they were never able to win an argument since she would be able to remember every detail of past conversations, past transgression, etc.
I actually watched this episode (first episode of 60 Minutes I’ve ever watched in my life), and found it to be completely fascinating! I have more of a ‘remember briefly then dump after it’s been used’ kind of memory. Great for test taking, but not much else! While this Superior Autobiographical Memory is amazing and seems like it would be incredibly useful, I can see it being a bit of a curse, too. I think it was the violin player who said it’s difficult because you remember the bad with the good–tragedies that happened years ago can feel like they happened just yesterday and the pain and sadness are just as intense. Plus, except for Marilu Henner none of the other subjects have ever married. They said they like to think this is coincidence, but you could tell they were a bit sad about it, and realize that this trait was difficult on their social lives.
Years and years ago, when she was still on “Taxi,” I saw her interviewed and she said the same thing – also, that she knew what day of the week any day in history falls on. The host (Carson? I can’t remember) asked her what day of the week some date fell on (like March 10, 1974, or some random date) and she hemmed and hawed and never answered.
I don’t know if she was nervous, or maybe she exaggereated her memory? I still remember it, because it was strange that she would even bring it up and not expect the host to call her on it.
with all her abilities, why didnt it stop her from getting that weird looking face lift?
@lin234 & roma, I’m the same way. and i freak people out too! and yeah, sometimes i could tell that they’re totally thinking stalker and I have to explain to them that i just have a good memory. my friends and family make fun of me being a “stalker.” sometimes, i pretend to “forget” things just so that I won’t seem so stalkerish with people I don’t know so well.
i am similar, too, with other commenters—i will remember a conversation i had with an acquantaince, two years later when i run into them again…and they often answer contradictory-ish, as though what i ask them about had never been the case-then i feel weird and stalkerish, when really i was just being friendly and caring.
i channeled this ability into working as a therapist, b/c you need to remember stuff, but you still need to write it down, when it happens, b/c people often forget what the said prior, and it becomes your word against their,so to speak. but if you have it on file, well….
but yea, i will remember lots of details about conversations-and i want to tell someone ‘dont be too flattered-it’s not just you; I remember stuff about everyone.’ lol
i think it also un-nerves people, and takes away some anonymity, for some people.
It sounds amazing, and the whole science of how brains & memory work is fascinating. But I’d also imagine having this sort of extreme memory would be overwhelming and difficult at times.
I’m good with lots of random memory stuff and sometimes it’s sort of photographic, but like Isa I have a hard time with names & faces.
I knew a young boy who could do that day of the week/date thing and was never wrong, but at the same time he couldn’t learn how to do every day stuff. It’s amazing how the brain seems to have to compensate when one aspect of it is extremely strong.
Well, this is amazing, but seriously, how do we as an audience know that the details these people are giving are accurate? I mean, its easy to find out the weather I suppose, but this is an “autobiography”. Not trying to be a smarty pants, just wondering…..
Such an interesting story and it is amazing how many commenters have strong memory skills!
I also have a very vivid memory in relation to people I meet, names, faces, their family members, any stories they tell me etc. Also have mild OCD tendencies with routines and rituals I have to follow rigidly every day.
@Lin, I also used to get upset when people didn’t remember me as I always remembered them, but now it doesn’t bother me so much.
Lady D: I can recall every phone # I have ever had
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I can remember my friends’ old phone numbers from when we were children. The funny thing is, I can’t remember my children’s phone number. As soon as they gave it to me I put it on speed dial, and now all I do is hit the button.
Brain function is fascinating. Use it or lose it.
I’m so glad others have similar experiences as me! I’ve been in more than a few conversations where people treated me as if I stalked them, or had some weird crush on them, because I mentioned something from a previous conversation (that they didn’t remember we had). Oddly enough, some people get really uncomfortable talking around you when they know you will recall what they say (I find these people are usually the ones that make a lot of stories up).
Since we’re on this topic, I want to ask if anyone else has found the same thing. First, I have a really difficult time learning someone’s name. Honestly, I will probably have to hear it said 5-10 times before I associate it with someone, but once I know it, I will never forget it. Also, I find that I don’t recall conversations that I really didn’t pay much attention to (i.e. the people at work that give me a play by play of their entire night/weekend every single day). I can recall some details, but always know when I’ve zoned out of the conversation because there is a gap in my memory (although I can usually recognize the statements if made again). It’s awful when you know you should be asking how something went, but can’t remember what it was because you know you didn’t pay attention.
Marilu did date John Travolta, and wrote about it w/o excessive detail in an autobiography. I’d like her to update that book w/ excessive details!
Note to self: Having a forehead lift or too much Botox can give you a Cryptkeeper look.
I love seeing so many other people share the same traits. I never thought much of it (much less as an ability) until I watched the videos.
A really hard part for me was growing up and thinking that my memory regarding people was normal. Over the years, I’ve learned to really lower my expectations of people rather than letting their forgetfulness affect me. But even with the bar set so low, people can still surprise me. Like others, I used to think that remarking on details when meeting an acquaintance again was a thoughtful gesture – caring and sweet. But the reactions can be confusion and make you feel really weird so I’ve really toned that down too.
Moxy- Same thing here! It’s amazing how much people rewrite their history to suit their current needs huh? I understand the confusion part too because I was the exact same way. It actually takes me longer to really trust people because they can be so two-faced. It feels two-faced because I find it hard to believe they forgot the way things really happened to them.
While I love gossip sites, I don’t gossip in real life. In fact, I often don’t correct people or confront people because you know how the truth really is – people can’t handle it and it can ruin a friendship.
Scarlett Vixen- I watched it too and I you could see it in the violin player’s eyes when the word break-up came up and she instantly looked hurt. Only Marilu is married and has children but it was also her 3rd marriage.
Irm- I hate it when people act like they never said what you remember them saying. It makes you feel like the fool for saying it out loud when you know it happened.
CdnDutchGirl- I’m similar with the names. I’ll remember the face and conversation but have harder time with the names. But once I remember it, I never forget it. I’ve actually had friendships that end because some people will completely lie about their past to fit in with their present state of mind. While I don’t correct them, I never make any supportive comments that validate their warped memories. But my instant facial reactions of disbelief have been harder to hide.
I thought the zoning out thing was one of my quirks. I tend to zone out usually while multiple people talk for a long time and then I’ll catch a part of the conversation that I find interesting and jump in (sometimes a bit off topic). But one on one, I usually remember everything because it’s more noticeable when you don’t pay attention.
Is anyone else super hard on themselves since we can’t twist the past (sometimes I wish I could) in our memories? I know I am.
That sounds like hell to me. Who wants to see their own shit from 10 years ago in that much detail?
I prefer my own heavily edited version :-0
A lot of people THINK they never get it twisted or remember things word for word, (Im looking at virtually everyone who’s posted here, Jesus!) but in reality, virtually no one does, and the people who believe themselves thusly blessed are in fact just being self righteous and/or disingenuous or hey just plain deluded. I have a great memory from random shit but everyone, and I mean *everyone* puts a spin on things. That’s just how the brain works- it’s not an accuracy machine.
Read the research about eyewitness testimony and IDs etc; epic human fail when people are staking their own and other peoples’ lives in their assertions about detail and chronology. It doesn’t get much more compelling than that, so if you think you never ever get it wrong, think again.
strange i remember situations very well and faces, but names harder. and i too had the experience remembering a situation exactly and others dont. and i am a very exact person too.
but my sisters boyfriend is such a person as mentionend in the article. he remembers situation 20 years ago and you can tell by the way he recalls a story that he is not making up anything. he then repeats a dialog like a computer would having recorded anything. very funny. must ask him about this OCD thing.
@lrm: My favourite phrase is “just because I remember, doesn’t mean I care.”
@CdnDutchGirl: I can’t remember names either! I bartended for years and I would get embarrassed because regulars would come in but I couldn’t introduce them. However, people loved me because I always remembered what they drank and would ask follow up questions from our conversation the week before. Somehow as a bartender, people were flattered instead of creeped out.
@lin234: I’m with you on being hard on myself – especially if I said something hurtful to people. It really stays with me so I’ve found I’ve gotten really good at apologizing.
And,
@kelly: I can understand your skepticism but I don’t think any of us here are asserting that we are a Marilu Henner.
I moved across country 10 years ago and left a few things behind in boxes. When visiting my parents last year we found a marketing project on VHS that I did in high school. I started quoting an interview I had done that was on the tape… when we played the tape we realized I had quoted the phrases verbatim. You can be skeptical all you like. I think the rest of us are excited to feel less creepy.
when i read the headline i thought it was some weird scientology thing that she’d picked up from travolta!
When you’ve been underemployed since the 1970’s maybe every day is just pretty much the same.
Just kidding.
But how telling that a celebrity’s extraordinary memory only applies to her own life. In her head, life is pretty much all about Marilu.
I wish I could do this, but does she do anything actually useful with it? Like read a textbook and remember every single detail? Now THAT I sure wish I could do. My comprehension sucks so I often re-read things just to get it the first time.
lin 234:
You took the words right out of my mouth.
And while I have found a “good memory” to be of occasional value, I wish I weren’t tied to those old scenes, encounters, and events–and the emotional impact they still have. I find that I remember ALL the bad stuff, which overshadows the good.