Most brains can handle only five to nine short-term memories at once. Newer information - phone call! ice cream! - can bump a previous memory out of storage before it’s committed to long-term recall. Even worse, new memories tend to merge with permanent ones, muddying the recollection of ritual activities. Michael “Professor” Solomon, author of How to Find Lost Objects, says it’s easy to accidentally substitute one routine motion for another. So look for your keys where you normally put your wallet. If that fails, check the car, the sofa cushions, the door lock, and (duh) your pocket. You’re probably staring right at them.

Return to Big Questions: http://www.wired.com/42

Also, they will always end up being in the last place you look for them.

Of course they always end up in the last place you look for them. Once you've found them, why would you look any further?

contributed by Guest User on Jan 24 9:50am

I don't know about you, but I keep looking once I find them. Just in case, ya know, we're living in a parallel universe or something.

contributed by pr0m37h1u5@addresshidden on Jan 24 10:09am

Your keys are on your saxophone.

contributed by Guest User on Jan 24 1:47pm

Last time I used your keys I put them back where you left them.

contributed by Guest User on Jan 24 2:13pm

Or you can look for them in the refrigerator, where you set them down when you were looking to see if you needed to buy more milk.

contributed by Guest User on Jan 24 4:29pm

Your kids took them, ask them, if they can remember.

contributed by Guest User on Jan 25 5:29am

Mentok: "And I say: Ask your wife where you left your keys!"

contributed by Guest User on Jan 25 8:25am

Meh, why not just use your subconscious to find it?

contributed by Nathan Crow on Jan 27 2:33pm