You Can't Remember People's Names Because Your Brain Decides They're Not Important

We've finally got a scientific explanation for why you forget people's names right after you meet them.  Researchers found that your brain takes 30 minutes to two hours to decide whether new information is worth remembering.  So if you meet someone and can't remember their name, it's because your brain decided it wasn't IMPORTANT ENOUGH.

Unless you're a really good politician, this probably happens to you CONSTANTLY.  You get introduced to someone . . . learn their name . . . and IMMEDIATELY forget it.

And a new study out of the University of Sussex in England figured out exactly why that happens.

The researchers found evidence that, basically, your brain acts like a BOUNCER when it comes to information.  So after you get hit with new information, you brain takes anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to decide whether it's worth remembering.

In other words, if you meet someone and can't remember their name right away, it's because your brain decided their name wasn't IMPORTANT ENOUGH for brain space.

The researchers say, quote, "The brain has a restricted capacity to learn things and preventing some memory formation would be a way to avoid overload." 

(Sky News)