Forgetful people may have superior intelligence, Study Says

You don’t have to be middle-aged to lose your keys, your glasses, your handbag and yourself. Younger people are also constantly walking around the house saying ‘where on earth did I put this??’ Don’t worry.

It does not mean that you are old and decrepit or approaching some dread disease. Forgetfulness may just mean that you are fabulously bright and your brain is focusing on other more important issues. Studies have shown that the brain, when busy with really important issues, forgets to focus on the small and mundane everyday stuff.

So if you lose your keys, chances are (even subconsciously) that you are working on an amazing theory, some mathematical equation or sorting out the world problems. Researchers Paul Frankland and Blake Richards from the University of Toronto have conducted studies to try and find why people forget the hard things. They say the results are fascinating.

 Mathematicians lose their keys. Astronauts forget where they’ve put their toothbrushes. But both have other astonishing skills and it’s because they use their brains to make important decisions and life choices. Rather than use their brains to store unless information, they forget the useless information and remember the important world-changing information.


 If you are reading this while thinking ‘Why did I forget to buy the milk?’ it’s because you’re bright. You’re using your brain for everything else and maybe you’re going to find the solution to world peace. Or get rid of plastic. Or make sure all the dogs and cats in the world are well loved and looked after. Is milk that important in the bigger scheme of things? It isn’t. Don’t worry about being so absent-minded. As long as you’re using your brain for other more important things. And we know you are!