| Individuals that possess eidetic memory, or | | | | Orlando Serrell (born in 1968) is an acquired savant, |
| photographic memory, are able to recall with precision | | | | and was an ordinary kid at birth. He suffered from |
| a large amount of information, images or sounds. | | | | physical trauma to the left of his head when he was |
| Whilst many have claimed to possess this ability, it is | | | | 10 years old, causing him to suffer from a prolonged |
| found in less than 5% of children, most of whom lose | | | | headache. When the headache eventually dissipated, |
| the ability as they mature. | | | | he noticed an improved ability in performing calendrical |
| It is said that monks in the Middle Ages enhanced their | | | | calculations. For example, he is able to tell you which |
| memories by creating images to store and use | | | | day of the week you were born on given your birth |
| information. Many famous people are also purported to | | | | date. He is also able to correctly recall the weather |
| be in possession of this skill, including Mozart and | | | | and every single movement he has engaged in for |
| Monet, but this cannot be proven. There have been | | | | any given day. |
| some individuals who earned a place in the Guinness | | | | Nikola Tesla was an inventor born in the Austrian |
| Book of Records for having atypical memory abilities, | | | | Empire in 1856. He is famous for his contributions to |
| and people suffering from memory disabilities have | | | | electricity and magnetism, and is referred to by some |
| been shown to have photographic memories. | | | | as a "mad scientist". He has also been dubbed as the |
| Kim Peek (born in 1951) suffers from congenital brain | | | | man who invented the 20th century. Tesla was able to |
| abnormalities, as he was born with macrocephaly, | | | | memorize complete books, and read many works |
| cerebellum damage and agenesis of the corpus | | | | throughout his life. In his autobiography, he shared that |
| callosum. Due to the absence of nerves connecting | | | | he suffered from many illnesses, including hallucinations. |
| the hemispheres in his brain, it has been speculated | | | | His visions were often connected to ideas that he |
| that the neurons make alternative connections, allowing | | | | came across, and was able to involuntarily picture it in |
| for an enhanced memory capacity. Peek has been | | | | great detail. This is similar to modern day synesthetes. |
| known to memorize things since he was 16 months | | | | There have also been many fictional characters found |
| old, and is able to read a book in an hour and recall | | | | in books and comics portrayed as having a |
| 98% of what was in it. He is able to memorize | | | | photographic memory. This include Jason Bourne (The |
| information in various subjects ranging from music to | | | | Bourne Identity), Data and Kes (Star Trek), Malcolm |
| sports and history. He can also recall more than 10,000 | | | | (Malcolm in the Middle) and Superman. |
| books from memory. | | | | |