Memory master mentally scans 120 thumbprints in 90 minutes

Screen shot of TV show The Brain Photo: Yangtze Evening Post

A mental athlete from South China's Guangdong province recently wowed TV audience by correctly recalling the thumbprints and names of their owners picked at random from the audience.

Wu Tiansheng, 30 years old, was able to recognize the right hand thumbprints pulled from a pool of 120 individuals and recall their names during the taping of Jiangsu Satellite TV's The Brain, which was broadcasted on January 10.

Judges on the show, which highlights those with mental super abilities from all walks of life, gave Wu the highest score in its short, two-week history after performing his mind-bending task within 90 minutes.

Wu achieved fame in 2007 after becoming the youngest winner of the World Memory Championship.

However, Wu explained he was not born with his ability. Before mastering his memory skills, he had failed three courses during his first semester at university.

It was only after hearing about the World Memory Championships at his school's library that he began training his memory.

According to an expert from Nanjing Brain Hospital, memory ability can be developed through training in visualization techniques.