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Photographic memory is a myth – here’s what research really says about remembering

Hollywood loves a character who has the perfect total recall of a photographic memory. But this idea is a fantasy. It’s not how memory works – for good reason.

First seen · 12:21 PM UTCMay 7, 2026

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The Conversation
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Photographic memory is a myth – here’s what research really says about rememberingHollywood loves a character who has the perfect total recall of a photographic memory. But this idea is a fantasy. It’s not how memory works – for good reason.
12:21 PM UTC

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