Slideshow: Flexing Brains: Feats of Memory

credit Photo: Rachel Metz
Belinda Shao goes over some notes in her journal during a free moment in the competition.

credit Photo: Rachel Metz
Finalists sit on stage during the first championship elimination round. Participants, from left to right, are: Maurice Stoll, Ram Kolli, Erin Luley, Chester Santos, Paul Mellor and Joshua Foer.

credit Photo: Rachel Metz
Contestants are deep in thought during the ninth-annual U.S.A. National Memory Championship Saturday in New York City.

credit Photo: Rachel Metz
Joshua Foer blocks out outside noise while concentrating on remembering the order of a deck of playing cards at the ninth-annual U.S.A. National Memory Championship in New York City on Saturday.