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There are people who can quickly memorize lists of thousands of numbers, the order of all the cards in a deck (or ten!), and much more. Science writer Joshua Foer describes the technique -- called the memory palace -- and shows off its most remarkable feature: anyone can learn how to use it, including him.

At the highest level, when you get really into this, it's all about concentration… It's kind of like an arms race, where every year somebody comes up with a new technique to remember more stuff more quickly.

The kind folks at the World Science have very generously given me a list of 150 random words that they want me to memorize. I'm going to do that using an ancient technique called the memory palace.

Experts step outside their comfort zone and study themselves failing… They crave and thrive on immediate and constant feedback.

TED Talk: Feats of Memory Anyone Can Do

Josh on the Colbert Report

To Remember Better, Build a Mansion in Your Mind

Conquering the OK Plateau

 

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