How to actually remember people's names

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View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions By Nathan May | 04.26.22 I'm terrible with names. I've bumped into old school friends in the street, endured excruciating conversations at parties, embarrassed myself in front of work colleagues, and even avoided passing to certain team mates on the soccer field, all because of the same age-old problem: names escape me. For a while during the pandemic my lacklustre memory bank was relieved when "maintaining social distance" meant that all conversations were conducted via Zoom, with faces framed in conveniently labeled boxes on a screen. No more social faux-pas! Now, as our lives emerge in a post-pandemic fog, my brain has been jolted back into action–but its inability to recall names remains steadfast. Luckily Lisa Kanarek spoke to two experts: a neurosurgeon and a world record holder in memory, and found out how to improve her memory strategy. These are the tips you need to actually remember people's names… If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.     How to Actually Remember People's Names These tips can keep you from greeting someone with "Hey ... you!" ever again. How to Trick Your Brain into Remembering Almost Anything Four-time USA Memory Champion Nelson Dellis and psychological scientist Julia Shaw explain how to boost your memory skills. Scientists Watch a Memory Form in a Living Brain While observing fearful memories take shape in the brains of fish, neuroscientists saw an unexpected level of synaptic rewiring. How to Remember a Disaster Without Being Shattered by It Margaret McKinnon survived a midair catastrophe, then became a major researcher of memory and trauma. Now she's studying how the pandemic will haunt us. Your Brain Prefers Happy Endings. That's Not Always Smart People tend to focus on whether an experience ends on an up note or a sour one, even if it leads us to make bad decisions. A new study examines why. GET WIRED Spring Sale. Give yourself the gift of information. Get the print edition of WIRED and exclusive subscriber-only stories for just $29.99 $5. Subscribe now.   Have questions or comments? Reply to this email.   When you buy something using the retail links in this email, we earn a small affiliate commission. Read more about how this works.   This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or manage your newsletter subscriptions