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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Health
Carina Storrs

I look at a stranger and see a friend. Am I a super-recognizer?

Illustration of a number of groups of people eating dinner and talking

When I was in my mid-20s, I spotted my grandma through the window of a coffee shop. I was dumbstruck – she had passed away the year before. I stared for a moment, then reminded myself it couldn’t be her.

I’d had similar experiences all my life. Every now and then, I “recognized” someone I didn’t know. Sometimes I could quickly pinpoint who the stranger reminded me of – like my grandma. Other times, a face simply had a vague familiarity I couldn’t place.

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